


Soulmates at First Sight

by VersaillesPixie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dark Magic, Dom Lucius Malfoy, Dominance, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Good Lucius Malfoy, Innocence, Loss of Virginity, Lucius Malfoy-centric, Malfoy Manor, Older Man/Younger Woman, Oral Sex, Orgasm, Original Character(s), Romance, Romantic Soulmates, Sex, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, Smut, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Veela Lucius Malfoy, Veela Mates, Virginity, Wizarding World (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:28:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 223,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24999847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VersaillesPixie/pseuds/VersaillesPixie
Summary: When American witch, Aria De La Cour, begins her new job at the Ministry of Magic in England, her mentor is none other than dashing and seductive ex-dark wizard, Lucius Malfoy. The connection and bond that they form transcends even the most powerful of magic.
Relationships: Lucius Malfoy/Other(s)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

**Thank you for reading one of my first fanfics! I sadly do not own Lucius as a character (although it would be nice to own him ;)), nor do I make any money off of these. I also post to Fanfiction :<https://www.fanfiction.net/~versaillespixie>**

**I also post photos relating to each chapter on my Pinterest page!:<https://www.pinterest.com/VersaillesPixie/boards/> **

* * *

Aria De La Cour's life was starting at last. She was on her way to England to begin her new career as an ambassador at the British Ministry of Magic representing the American Ministry of Magic, more specifically the Western region of the United States. Her dream job; she still couldn't quite believe it. Aria had just recently graduated a few months prior from her school of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the small but beautiful Californian school called Solemmari. Aptly named after the sun and sea, her school had sat atop one of the sprawling mountains of Malibu, California. Every day the sun shone down upon the witches and wizards of the school and the sea air flowed through their robes and hair. Her school years had been so peaceful and easy, and even easier for her, as she was the top student of her year, if not the whole school. She always knew she had wanted to travel abroad to continue her immersion into the wizarding culture. When she saw that there was a new program for recent graduates, to live abroad for a year a work and research at the Ministry for Magic in Britain, she knew that was what her next step would be. Of course she knew of the famous Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. It made her school look like the size of a grain of rice in comparison. She also knew the turmoil of the Wizarding War and the fight against Lord Voldemort which had taken place 6 years earlier. She knew parts of the British wizarding world were still on the mend from those events. The British ministry had created career programs such as the one she was about to be in, in the hope that they would help strengthen the bonds between witch and wizard kind from not only in England but around the globe.

A few days before Aria had left for England, an owl had arrived at her small apartment in Los Angeles. The owl dropped off a survey sent from the Ministry of Magic in England and sat perched on the window. This survey was a questionnaire all about her interests and hobbies, as well as what her hopes were for her time to be spent abroad working at the Ministry. Aria questioned why they might need all of this information, when she saw at the bottom of the message that the reason was that each new employee would be getting a mentor. The note at the bottom of the survey stated: _We request that each new employee fill out these surveys immediately and send back as soon as possible so that we may pair you with a mentor which most suits your interests and your goals. Think of these mentors as guides, to help fuel your learning and work as well as integrate you into our British wizarding culture. By pairing you with a mentor who shares similar interests as yourself, we hope to allow you to have someone you can always rely on during your work here._ Aria smiled. That seemed lovely. It would be nice to have an automatic "friend" of sorts.

She was a friendly and social young woman, but she did have the occasional shyness and social anxiety that one often gets in new situations where one doesn't know anyone else. She filled out the survey as best as she could. She didn't have an enormous list of varied interests. Her interests all sort of suited one another. She loved history. She loved classical music, architecture and gardens, fashion, art. She supposed she was somewhat of a culture aficionado. She was definitely an old soul at heart. She always had thought she lived in the wrong time-period. Her interests in these categories tended to focus in the 1700s. She adored the times of the kings and queens of Versailles, France, in the courts of King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. She adored the equally rich culture of the similar Georgian period of England as well. Her other interests she supposed seemed quite typical of a native California girl. She loved the beach and the bright sun and sea air. She loved taking long walks whether it was on the beach, hiking in the Hollywood Hills or strolling through a pretty garden. It was bittersweet to mention these interests as she knew the second she stepped onto British soil, constant sunshine would be a rare commodity. She didn't mind though. Her main interests of culture and history still outweighed all of the rest. She smiled as she rolled up her survey. She looked towards her window and noticed that the owl was still there. Probably waiting for a reward which she felt bad she had neglected when it arrived. She tied it to the owls leg and gave the bird double the treats, to which it seemed to happily accept and it flew off back to deliver her answered survey.

She looked around her now empty apartment. She had packed all of her clothing, although she knew she sorely lacked for warm clothing. She would have to get some new items when she arrived. She had sold all of her furniture and was not going to renew her lease on renting out the place. She realized the program abroad would only be a year, but she hoped deep down that she would be able to get hired on past the year and maybe even become a resident of England, if she landed a permanent job after the year was up. If not, she wasn't too worried. There was always plenty of apartments to be had in California if she had to move back. On the day of her departure, Aria looked one last time in the mirror. Her long blond hair fell in beachy waves, practically down to her waist. She wore little makeup but her green eyes, shined brightly with excitement and her full pink lips turned up at the corners in a slight smile to herself. Aria was always a very humble person, part of her slight shyness that she had, but she was always reminded by others or by the stares she often got that she was a natural beauty. With her exceptionally beautiful looks and her bright intuitive mind, she often found it hard to make friends, whether it be jealously from other girls, or whether it was men being intimidated by her beauty and knowledge. Yes, she was blessed with great genes, but that didn't make it any less difficult for her to realize that these genetic gifts would often make people turn away from her. That is why she was so excited to take this job in England. She sincerely hoped that the people there were different from the often-superficial witches and wizards from where she was from. Aria was excited to take an airplane for her travels. She could apparate, but with 2 large suitcases full of clothes and her buzzing nerves, she knew it probably wouldn't be the safest to attempt that or floo powder.

* * *

The 10-hour flight would have been fine, but she ended up seated next to a man about her age, who was relentlessly hitting on her the entire flight. Some women would probably find him attractive, she thought. He had a buzzed military style haircut and he was wearing a tank top that showed off his gigantic biceps and chest. She liked muscles but not this big and veiny. His skin was so fakely tanned that he looked almost orange. Even when she put her headphones over her head and an eye mask on, she could feel his eyes burning through to her. When mealtime came around, he tried desperately making small chat with her, trying to gain her interest. By the end, Aria practically raced off the plane, as she could hear him call after her, "Can I get your number?!" She pretended not to hear.

After she collected her luggage, she called a taxi and climbed into the muggle vehicle. "92 Birdcage Walk, please," she told the driver politely. Aria was so excited to finally see her London flat she had rented for the year. The flat was a located in a beautiful white building right across from St. James Park. The area was quite nice and although it was a little expensive, Aria was used to high costs of living, being from California. As long as she was comfortable, she didn't mind paying nicely, plus her job would be well paying, another reason why she had gone after the opportunity, and her new flat was conveniently located near the Ministry. As the taxi drove her from the airport to her flat, Aria gazed out the window. She couldn't wait to explore this city as well as the magical world which lay just beyond it all. The driver pulled up to her flat and helped her with her bags, to which she thanked him cheerfully. The driver smiled back and couldn't help but flush red, as her beautiful smile of thanks dazzled him.

She carried her bags up the two flights of stairs, with a little help from magic with a minor hovering charm. She made sure to be discrete always, when using magic around muggles, but there was no one else in the stairway. She opened the door to her apartment, #16, and breathed a sigh of relief. It was beautiful. Fully furnished, with furniture and accents of soft greys and crisp whites. It was simple but beautiful, with crown molding on the ceiling and beautiful grey wooded floors. It was very peaceful, she thought. After she unpacked, she stored her suitcases in the hallway closet shut the door and stumbled into the big bed waiting for her in the other room. Muggle travel sure was exhausting. Perhaps she should have risked the floo powder, was her last thought. She slept all throughout the rest of the day and the night.

* * *

Aria woke the next morning incredibly excited. Today was her first day of work at the Ministry. As she had thought when she was initially packing, she was desperately going to need to buy some warmer clothes, but luckily it was the end of August and still a decent temperature in London, although it was bound to rain sporadically. She put on a chic olive-green mid-length dress with short sleeves and a tie around the waist to accent her figure nicely. She wore some thin chained gold necklaces adorned with suns and stars and some matching earrings. She put on some mascara and a blushed lip tint but that was it. She didn't want to over-do anything today. She wanted to make a good first impression. She was going to use floo powder to get to the Ministry. She had chosen a flat with a small fireplace for that exact reason. She grabbed her purse and grabbed a handful of floo powder, stepping gingerly into the fireplace. "The Ministry Of Magic," she said clearly.

After a feeling of being sent through a wind tunnel, Aria appeared confidently at the Ministry in one of their many floo fireplaces. She walked out into the hustle and bustle of witches and wizards coming in to work. Her face broke out into a big smile. She was buzzing with excitement. The epicness of it all was a sight to behold. As she made her way to the center of the ground floor she looked up at some of the many statues of famous witches and wizards. There was Harry Potter of course, he was famous worldwide, as well as his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. She got a thrill just thinking that she could possibly have a chance of seeing them, she knew that they worked here as well. She also recognized a statue of the world-famous wizard Albus Dumbledore. The thing was, was that now Aria didn't exactly know where to go next. She looked around to see if she saw anyone else looking as lost as she was. She couldn't immediately spot anyone else in the crowd she could go up to and ask. She started biting her lip in nervousness. What was she to do now?! Suddenly a kind sounding voice behind her said

"Excuse me, but do you need help at all?" Aria turned around to see a pretty woman standing in front of her with wavy light brown hair and kind eyes that were about the same color as her hair. She was speechless as she instantly recognized the witch. It was Hermione Granger. Two seconds ago, she was hoping to meet her and sure enough she was standing right there next to her. It was an incredible turn of fates.

"Oh my god…you're Hermione Granger," Aria breathlessly said but then realized how stupid she must have just sounded. "I mean….ah…I am so sorry that must have sounded incredibly American of me," she flushed. Hermione laughed it off shaking her head that it was no bother. "I'm Aria De La Cour, I am here on the Ambassador career program, I am one of the few witches and wizards they chose from the United States. I am afraid I am a bit lost and don't know where to go next!"

"Oh welcome!" Hermione said pleasantly and reached out her hand to shake Aria's. "We are so incredibly excited here. We really want to try and bridge our relationships with our magical counterparts around the world. We are so excited for this new program! Here let me take you to where you need to go!"

"Thank you so much!" said Aria as she followed Hermione over to the elevator banks. They stepped into an empty elevator.

"Level 5," said Hermione, and the elevator was off to their destination. "It's so exciting," continued Hermione, "They are creating a whole new department on this level just for the ambassadors coming in." Aria smiled. This program seemed to be very important to the Ministry and she was so grateful to be a part of it all.

"Again, sorry about earlier. I just wasn't expecting to meet someone so amazing right as I got here. You are quite famous in America, you know," Aria said smiling at Hermione.

"Really? I am very flattered!" Hermione responded back. "It was a scary time, and I feel like any good witch or wizard did what I did under the same circumstances." Aria smiled at Hermione's humbleness. "So Aria, where are you from? United States I've gathered, but where exactly? What school did you attend?"

"I went to Solemmari, over in Malibu, California."

"Explains your perfect beachy waves and sun kissed skin," smirked Hermione.

Aria laughed gently. She supposed she did embody the California spirit quite literally. The elevator opened and let them off on Level 5. Hermione led Aria down a marble hallway with golden walls with stained glass images of the world and its continents and oceans. It was such a beautiful and friendly environment. "Wow," Aria breathed out a breath of wonder.

"Right in here," said Hermione pointing to a large room which largely resembled a classroom at Oxford. There were wooden desks on either side and a wizard stood in the middle between the two sides. There was already a decent amount of people in there, but Aria was definitely not late. That was a relief.

"Well thank you so incredibly much Hermione for showing me the way. I would have been lost forever without you," said Aria turning to Hermione.

"Oh no problem. I was on my way here myself. I am one of the mentors!"

"Oh really!? That would be so cool if you became my mentor."

"Fingers crossed! Hopefully our interests match up in the surveys that we took. I am so excited for this myself, although I know a few of the other witches and wizards here had to be pressured into doing this program…especially some of them with a darker past. It is a part of their recommended rehabilitation program into the moral wizarding society."

Aria sincerely hoped she didn't end up with any of the previously darker wizards or witches. She was nervous enough.

"Well fingers crossed I get paired with you Hermione!" she smiled as she made her way over to where the other new ambassadors were standing.

She began mingling with a few and then grabbed a seat. The wizard in the middle of the room finally spoke after a bit, when it seemed as if everyone had made their way into the classroom. It was quite the mix of people.

"Good morning everyone, and welcome!" said the wizard. "I am Arthur Tedon, and I will be helping each new employee match up with their mentor. We have carefully gone over everyone's answers to their survey and we believe we have chosen very appropriate matches. We are excited to see you all get to know one another and help one another expand and grow their knowledge and interests. When I call out a mentor's name, please stand so that your mentee will be able come over to you. Then you are free to go off and get to know each other better."

With that he began calling off names pairing off wizards and witches. With a slight sinking heart, Aria heard Hermione's name being called, but she was not matched up with her. Aria frowned slightly but she saw that the witch Hermione was assigned to was beaming. She was a nice-looking girl who Aria had only briefly just met who said she had come from New York. Aria was happy for her. Just because Hermione didn't become her mentor didn't mean Aria couldn't get together and be friends with the two witches.

Arthur called out the next name. "Lucius Malfoy." Aria stared in wonder as the most gorgeous sight of a man stood up gracefully. It was as if she was watching him in slow-motion. How had she not noticed him the second she stepped into the room? He was a tall and fit looking man wearing the most exquisite black suede robes with a deep green shirt underneath. In his hand he held an impressive walking stick with the head of a silver snake. His long platinum hair fell shining past his shoulders and his eyes were a spectacular grey, and were noticeable even from across the room. He held an air about him of haughtiness but also of great knowledge, power and perhaps even danger. He was magnificent. Aria didn't know why but her heart started racing. Perhaps she had missed the sight of him because she was so caught up in talking with Hermione. Either way, her attentions were fully consumed by him now. She had never gotten a feeling such as this at the first sight of someone.

"Malfoy you are paired with… Aria De La Cour."

Aria's heart raced faster than ever, and her breath caught in her throat. She stood up slowly, still not breathing. She noticed Lucius Malfoy stare at her from across the room. She couldn't read any type of expression on his face, but she saw his eyes flicker for the briefest of a second up and down her slender form and back to her face. His grey eyes seemed to be mildly curious she thought. She made her way over to him, still barely breathing. They didn't break each other's gaze the entire time. It felt like they were the only two in the room. What was happening? Aria could feel her cheeks flushing. She finally made it up to him and looked up into his grey eyes with her equally as bright green ones.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy. Nice to meet you." She held out her hand to shake his. The beautiful man looked down at her hand, took it in his for a second and let go.

"Miss De La Cour," his honeyed voice drawled out. It was the most delicious thing she had ever heard. She started briefly to panic. She had come here to learn. To get invaluable experience. Not get flustered and all a flutter over some good-looking wizard. What was she doing? She forced herself to snap out of her trance. She smiled up at him pleasantly. Her flush starting to fade a bit.

"Shall we head somewhere quieter where we can go over your survey and talk about the program?" Mr. Malfoy suggested. Being around this many people seemed to be annoying him, she noted.

"Oh absolutely," she agreed. Mr. Malfoy nodded his head towards the door.

"Follow me," he said and off he went. Aria followed quickly behind.

* * *

**Lucius's Point of View**

Lucius sat off in the corner of the room. He detested that he was here. He had not even wanted to be involved with this silly program, but much to his chagrin, he was basically forced to participate. Due to his dark past, the Ministry had insisted that all wizards and witches previously associated with the Dark Lord, and who weren't spending a lifetime in Azkaban, must participate. They believed it would be helpful in teaching them how to interact with a diverse group of people from around the world. It all felt so juvenile. As people started piling into the room, he paid no one much attention. He just wanted to get his partner and get out of here. He wanted as little to do with this as possible. He would show his face to get credit for being there, but as for mentoring, well let's just say he hoped his partner cared as little as he did. They would both do their respective jobs and get these next few months over with. One by one people were paired off. Finally, they called his name. He rose from his seat, ready to be paired off.

"Aria De La Cour." Lucius looked at the crowd of young ambassadors, waiting to see who would stand up to come join him. He couldn't believe his eyes at first. Towards the back, the blond head of the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on stood from her seat. Master of the poker face, Lucius didn't let his emotions show, but her beauty made his breath stop short. Lucius always had a thing for blonds, perhaps it was the Malfoy in him that always appreciated the purest of blonds, just like himself. But then he saw her eyes that shone like emeralds and her sun-kissed skin. The way she carried herself, confidently but with a sense of calm as she walked over to him. It was enough to drive him insane. He had never had this immediate reaction to a woman before, not even his ex-wife Narcissa. What was that stupid muggle saying? Love at first sight. He laughed internally to himself. Love did not exist. But passion and lust sure did, and he instantly felt it. He would have to admit to himself that his curiosity was piqued. Obviously they were matched based on their interests. What could he possibly have in common with this girl? She exuded youth and sunshine. If she was sunshine, then he was snow. If she was light, he was dark. There had to have been a mistake, but he wasn't about to correct it. She finally made her way up to him. So close. Her cheeks were flushed pink. Good lord, she was gorgeous. Where did she come from? What part of the world could have produced such an angelic being?

"Hello Mr. Malfoy. Nice to meet you." Ah, she was American. He never realized anything from that country should be so radiant and luscious. He noticed her voice sounded slightly shaken. Was she feeling what he felt? She held out her hand to him. He took the delicate hand for the briefest of moments. Worried that his animalistic urge would make him take her right then and there in front of everyone to witness. No he mustn't do that. At least not in public. He smirked to himself inwardly.

"Miss De La Cour," he replied, ingraining her name into his mind. He had the sudden urge of not wanting to be in this crowded room any longer. He was very curious to get to know this young woman and most of all go over her survey to see how this match could have happened. His office here at the ministry would be the perfect spot to have a one-on-one chat. Perhaps this assignment wasn't the worst possible one he had ever had handed to him.


	2. The Manor

**Hi Everyone! Please leave me reviews if you'd like! Also remember that more of this story is over on:<https://www.fanfiction.net/~versaillespixie>**

**and my Pinterest page to go along with these chapters https://www.pinterest.com/VersaillesPixie/boards/**

* * *

Aria followed Mr. Malfoy back out into the hallway and down other long corridors. The stones that built the walls and floors all seemed to be glowing. The British Ministry truly was a spectacular place, but not as interesting as the man in front of her was. All the while she was glancing at his tall elegant form and the way his luminous hair cascaded past his shoulders. He was the most confident man she had ever seen. Finally, they rounded a corner and into an office. The office itself was snug but it was beautifully decorated with a satin emerald green wallpaper, and black leather accent furniture. His office also had some shelving for books, all of which seemed to be ancient texts. Her eyes sparkled. How much history must be in this one office alone? The large dark wooden desk sat towards the right, where Mr. Malfoy pulled out his chair to sit. He motioned for her to sit in one of the leather chairs in front of his desk, facing him. She sat down clearing her throat. She wasn't sure if she should start talking or if he should. His grey eyes were practically staring into her soul from across the desk.

"So Miss De La Cour," said the honeyed voice. "Let's take a look at our surveys shall we."

He placed each of their surveys side by side on the desk and studied them with intense interest.

"Hmmm" he said every few seconds as he compared his answers to hers. Finally he spoke.

"We have an exceedingly large amount of interests and hobbies that are similar…and here I thought I was just going to have to deal with some young, fresh-out-of-school excitable child. I am glad to see they at least let some cultured people into the program."

Aria didn't know how to respond. On one hand he had just complimented her. On the other he had just blatantly insulted the whole program and all that it was supposed to stand for.

"Ahh, thanks?" was all she managed to say back but her warm smile still made an appearance on her face, to which she noticed Mr. Malfoy looking down to admire it.

"Let me put it all out there now, just so you don't hear it elsewhere and get wrong information from some gossiping witch or wizard," said Lucius, "I used to be heavily involved in the Dark Arts and I was one of Voldemort's right hand men…" he looked down as he said this and was picking at a loose thread from his robes. "To this day, it is my most regretted moment in life. Not only for the Hell it put me through, but for my family as well. I am sure even in your American schools, you all knew about the War here and Voldemort?"

"Yes," Aria nodded her head. "We had heard of the tragic events that took place. It is almost legend around the world. Mr. Malfoy if you don't mind me asking…but how are you not…well not in prison?" She regretted asking the moment she saw his stunning grey eyes flash in her direction. He seemed to be about to yell at her but then he reconsidered.

"Well, well Miss De La Cour, you are a bold one I must say. To ask a perfectly good stranger why they aren't locked up like a dog…" he smirked.

"I am so sorry Mr. Malfoy I really didn't mean-"

"I am teasing you, Miss De La Cour. If you must know…just like in every country and community whether it be muggle or wizarding, being rich and powerful can be useful. Plus…" he seemed to hesitate, but she could tell he meant what he was about to say next, "…Plus I really have regretted all that I did in the past. Once I almost lost my son, I knew I would never be so weak again to be such a coward and do someone else's bidding. I was treated like a slave; my whole life wasn't mine anymore. Truth be told, I am glad to be rid of that lifestyle. I believe the Minister for Magic could see that in me, and like I said, I fund an incredible number of programs and events in the British wizarding world, they really had to admit to themselves, they would be lost without my patronage."

Aria reveled in how open this man was being with her. It almost seemed as if he had nothing to lose at this point so why not be honest? She sincerely appreciated it. Now that she thought about it and was putting the pieces together, the more she realized she knew the name Malfoy. Malfoy… yes, she knew that name! Her mind came alight as she remembered exactly where she had heard that before. Yes, she instantly remembered that she knew his family was extremely powerful and wealthy, she also knew that they were notorious for their hatred of anyone other than the purest of pureblood wizard families. She had come across it in one of her treasured books of, _The Wonder of Wizarding Architecture and Design of the 18_ _th_ _Century._

"Mr. Malfoy, are you the owner of _THE_ Malfoy Manor? The exquisite Georgian Manor and estate?" she asked breathlessly.

"Indeed," he smirked and leaned back into his chair comfortably, a slight air of smugness encompassing him.

"Oh my God! That is one of my dream places to see. Ever since I was little and started researching famous historical homes and culture, your manor always came up in my texts and research. Oh my God!" She knew she sounded incredibly American and silly, but she couldn't contain her excitement.

Lucius laughed quietly to himself. This young woman was exceedingly pleasant to not only look at, but hearing her excitement gave his darkened soul a jolt of brightness.

"Well then, you will just have to come over and explore it for yourself," he looked back at her, his eyes going more serious. Perhaps he had crossed a line, he barely knew the girl, but he couldn't deny it would give him great pleasure showing her around his house and gardens. He lived alone, now that he and his wife had divorced, and his son Draco, was always 'too busy.'

Aria didn't seem to mind though. Her instant answer was yes.

"Oh yes please! Please that would be such an honor. I have dreamed of that place for years. To even get a glimpse of the history inside would be like finding hidden treasure. It is said your home contains some of the Wizarding world's most ancient and rare texts, paintings and artifacts."

Lucius was surprised she knew so much about his home. He knew his home had made it into the history books, but it was still such a weird thing to hear out loud.

"That is true, Miss De La Cour. And not just magical artifacts. I also have some special muggle artifacts as well, for example, I see here on your survey you love French history, especially of the Kings and Queens of France…I have quite a few rare artifacts from Versailles, that were saved during the Revolution. They may be of interest to you."

Aria's head was spinning in wonder, it almost made her dizzy. She couldn't believe her ears. She knew this had to be the reason they were paired up. Their interests were just too similar. This man was the most cultured man she had ever met. She was incredibly happy, but she then remembered his hatred of half-bloods and muggle borns. Would he and his house even accept her? She was a half-blood after all.

"Mr. Malfoy this would truly be the biggest honor…but I must warn you…I am a half-blood. My father is a wizard. My mom is a muggle. Won't that bother you? I know your family's opinion on people like me…"

Lucius stared at her in shock. Again, quite a bold statement from someone he barely knew. He couldn't help but internally agree with her statement. Although Lucius had repented his ways after the war, he still couldn't help but hold pureblood lineage at a higher standard. Of course, he would never start or join a war about it ever again, however, the principal of pureblood pride he was born and raised with still rang true in his mind.

"Myself and my home are not going to do you any harm, I can assure you Miss De La Cour. The house certainly won't spit you out the second you walk into it…" he said coolly.

There was that dry sense of humor he had again. For some reason it didn't bother Aria.

"Well okay then. When may I visit?" she couldn't contain her excitement.

"Why don't we say Friday late afternoon? Around 4 o'clock?"

"That is perfect. It will be a great way to start out my weekend." She beamed the widest smile she had smiled all day. It dazzled Malfoy and he couldn't stop himself from getting lost in the beauty of her.

"Well then Miss De La Cour, I will see you Friday. Until then, I will gather some books from my private library that I think you will enjoy on British Wizarding culture of your preferred 18th century time-period. Until then I recommend getting to know some of the other new witches and wizards in your program."

"Thank you so much Mr. Malfoy. Wow I can't believe how lucky I am that I got paired with you," she said as she got up to leave.

A faint pink color rose in Lucius' cheeks at the unexpected compliment. When was the last time someone had been happy and excited to be around him? He was so used to his own company. Someone as stunning as this woman in front of him, praising him, was almost too much to comprehend.

"See you Friday," she said breathlessly as she turned and walked out the door.

Malfoy stared at the spot she had been sitting for what seemed like an age. His heart was beating fast and Friday couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

Aria got through the next few days with ease. She had met with a lot of the new young ambassadors of the program and everyone seemed happy with their mentors. A lot of them were telling her how sorry they were that she ended up with Mr. Malfoy, but she told them she was perfectly content. More than content. She was met with some strange looks, but some approved of her open-mindedness. She made good friends with the young witch that got paired with Hermione. Her name was Pepper and she was a spunky girl from New York with a thick accent. Friday came quickly, thank goodness, and Aria woke up in the morning with a surge of electricity in her soul. Today was the day she would see so many of her life-long dreams. She was also surprised she noticed to feel excitement for seeing Mr. Malfoy too. She dressed in a tight-fitting burgundy sweater dress with some tights underneath and tall black suede boots. She appraised herself in the mirror and smiled as she put in her golden Fleur-de-lis shaped earrings. She was ready to go.

For Lucius the last few days had seemed to drag on. He was always in meetings. Always having to deal with random people in the ministry seemingly begging him for money and patronage for their various charities or events or programs. He would much rather be at home, with a certain new blond witch named Aria De La Cour. He had thought of nothing else really except Aria since that day. The way her sun-kissed skin glowed or her equally as sun-kissed hair shined; and those eyes and smile and her passion and excitement.

What was happening to him? He felt like a schoolboy with a crush. He often found himself at night staring up at the ceiling wondering how that Friday would go. He wondered what he would show her first. He also noticed those next few nights, as he thought about her in his bed, his groin would stir and he would end up with a raging erection. It pained him to do it, as it made him feel weak, but he would always end up taking his engorged cock in his own hands and would imagine a certain blond witch, sitting atop him, naked and riding him as he stroked himself hard. It always brought him over the edge as he climaxed intensely. He would feel embarrassed afterwards.

When Friday came Lucius wore one of his finer black fitted jackets with golden filigree accents. It was from France, it fit with the theme of the day and he knew Aria would appreciate it. It was odd he found himself dressing specifically for her.

Aria was impatient all day. She enjoyed the beginnings of her job, but today she was too excited to focus. By the time 3:55 came, she was practically jumping out of her skin. She knew she shouldn't have drank all of that coffee. She went to a quiet place on her floor where she worked and quickly apparated. She knew she would get there safely. She had thought of the Manor for years and it was perfectly imagined in her mind.

When she dizzily arrived at the front gates of the Manor, which were opened for her, she almost started to weep. There it was. The house of her dreams. The house that held so much important history and meaning to her. She walked up the gravel pathway towards the front of the impressive Georgian Manor. She got to the epic front doors and knocked the giant knockers, she noticed were heads of golden snakes. A few seconds passed, and none other than Lucius Malfoy himself answered the door. His grey eyes piercing and that hint of a smirk on his lips.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy! Again, thank you so much again for inviting me," she smiled.

"Do come in, Miss De La Cour," he said holding open the door for her. He took in her beautiful form and breathed in quietly to himself, admiring her scent which he noticed was a mix of vanilla and roses. Delicious.

The second she walked in, her mouth dropped. It was floor to ceiling magnificence. They stood in a grand foyer of stone and elegance. The walls were a deep dark green color trimmed with dark wood. An exquisite chandelier sparkled above glinting off of the marble and gold accents of the furniture and framed portraits around them. A large marble staircase at the center of the entry way led to an upstairs area. The house itself was rather dark, as the windows were high up on the walls, but the chandelier gave the big house a cozy and romantic feel.

Lucius took in her expression. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at her reaction. She was truly stunned to the core. He spoke softly, as not to interrupt her trance.

"I want to first show you upstairs to the library. There are some items up there that might be of interest to you. Follow me." He said as he led her up the majestic stairs and to the left. The first door on the left was slightly ajar and he entered it and held the door open for her again.

Aria put her hands up to her mouth in wonder. This library looked like it belonged in Oxford, not someone's house. She noticed in the far corner near the giant floor to ceiling window sat a harpsicord. That instantly caught her eye. The detail was a perfect representation of French 18th century design.

"Oh my" she breathlessly went over to the instrument.

"I had a feeling you would notice that first," smirked Lucius. "Yes, it is one of my more precious muggle artifacts. Direct from The Palace of Versailles, it was Louis XV daughter's instrument. It is said that Mozart himself visited the palace and dedicated 6 harpsicord sonatas for the young Princess Victoire on it."

Aria's eyes misted over. This was what she lived for. History right in front of her. She reached out her hand as if to touch but realized she mustn't. It shouldn't be touched. Lucius noticed her hesitation.

"You may touch it," he encouraged her.

Slowly she reached out her hand ever so gently and laid her fingertips over the ivory keys. She could feel the history and magic flowing through her. She was deeply moved.

"Thank you." She said looking up to him with bright eyes. "This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen, let alone laid a hand on."

He smiled. Since when did he smile, he thought?

"I found something that also might be of interest to you. I pulled it down this morning."

Aria looked at the cover of a large book.

_French Wizards and Witches Of The Royal Court_

"Your name De La Cour, means Of The Court, in French, does it not?"

Aria smiled and nodded her head. That was one of the reasons she loved French Court history so much. It felt so personal.

Lucius continued. "Well I believe I found some of your lineage here in this book." Aria's breath stopped again. She had never been able to find much of her family's history. Especially being half muggle. Her parents never really kept track or talked much of it. Aria traced her fingers over the cover of the book.

Lucius turned the book towards him and opened it. He already knew the exact page he needed.

"Look here," he said pointing to the page. "It says the family of De La Cour in France were one of the Kings of France's most faithful families. They always held a great amount of power in the court. When a young Louis XIV was transitioning the French court to move out of Paris and into Versailles, permanently, a lot of the noble families resisted, not wanting to leave the big city. But the De La Cour's encouraged Louis to use his divine right and reign in Versailles. They largely contributed to the glory of Versailles and helping the court to transition there permanently." Aria shook her head in disbelief.

"How do you know it's my family though? There could be many De La Cour families?"

Lucius turned the page. "Look at this portrait. Marquise De La Cour. She lived during the reign of Louis XIV. The resemblance is uncanny."

The photo moved, as every other wizarding book. The woman looking back at her was a spitting image of herself. Same big green eyes. Her blond hair piled on her head in the fashion of the time. She smiled through her portrait at Aria. Same smile.

Aria smiled, laughed and let out sort of a sob all at the same time.

"Thank you…" was all she managed to get out as her misted eyes looked up at Lucius with such sincere and heartfelt emotion.

"Hmm" was all he managed to say back. He was never good with emotions.

He let her flip through the book for a while, and remained silent, allowing her to absorb into her thoughts. He began pulling other books from the shelves that he thought would be useful to her understanding of British Wizarding culture while at the same time keeping within her interests of history and art and music. Some of the titles included, _Famed Wizard Classical Music Composers of the 16_ _th_ _-18_ _th_ _Centuries, Baroque and Rococo Designs of the Wizarding World, Most Famous Historic British Wizarding Gardens_ and _From Words to Magic:_ _18_ _th_ _Century Poetry and How It's Magic Can Be Used._

"I would also like you to borrow these as well Miss De La Cour, I believe you will enjoy them as well as learn a few things about British Wizarding Culture."

She looked at the ever-growing stack of books. And smiled in approval. They were perfect.

He led her out of the library after a few more minutes of letting her discover the room and led her down the long hallways of the manor, pointing out various portraits and tapestries that hung along practically every wall of the Manor. He showed her all of the rooms, except his own. That was his domain and felt too personal at the moment. One of the rooms Aria stopped at and smiled widely.

"Oh see now this room…this room is absolutely perfect!" She beamed as she stepped a bit inside the doorway and into the room to look at it more closely.

Lucius smiled. Of course, she would love this room. This room was modeled after the style of one of the Georgian period's most famous women, The Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana Cavendish. She was a bit like Marie Antoinette in her own right, but in England, where her styles in fashion and décor were exceedingly popular. One of Lucius' female ancestors had designed this room at the time to reflect the delicate and feminine feeling of the era, and it was a room that was supposed to evoke a peaceful atmosphere. It was rather different than the rest of the house. The walls and furniture were all a crème colored silk, with very pale green floral accents. Everything was lined with gold gilding, the beds, the wardrobes and even the gorgeous white vanity in one corner of the room. It was all so beautiful. The window overlooked the grand estate gardens where Aria could see the delicately groomed hedges and graveled pathways. "So beautiful," she thought out loud.

"Would you like to see the gardens?" he asked quietly behind her.

"I thought you'd never ask," she said turning back around to face him with a smirk on her face.

He instantly adored how comfortable and natural she seemed here. She was losing that small aspect of shyness about her. Good. He wanted her to feel comfortable around him. He led her back down the grand staircase and towards the back of the house. Her head swiveled, taking in the surroundings of the downstairs part of the house. She saw a beautiful dining room that was fit for a King, a drawing room and a door that she assumed led to a kitchen. She could smell delicious aromas emanating from the door.

"Wait right here for a second Miss De La Cour, I am going to make sure tea and food will be ready for us when we return from the gardens, I just need to remind my house elf."

"A house elf? I've heard of them before. We don't have them in America now a days. We banned that centuries ago from what we were taught in school."

"Don't worry Miss De La Cour, there are laws now that require us to pay them a fair wage and provide clothing. Although I must say that is quite a recent law." He said no more and briefly disappeared through the door.

A few seconds later he came back out and offered Aria his arm. "Shall we," said his honeyed voice.

She smiled and grabbed his arm as they made their way out the epic double doors and onto the first parterre. Lucius led her down into the first part of the gardens. It reminded her so much of Versailles, with the perfect French garden style of immaculately symmetrical green hedges and fountains around every corner. With a flick of his wand the fountains began flowing. She giggled in delight.

"This is a dream, Lucius." She didn't even realize she used his first name.

Lucius' heart palpated at hearing her say _his name._ Even with her silly American accent, it gave him a jolt right to the lower gut, in the most delicious way. He wouldn't correct her or bring it to her attention.

To make it all the better, Lucius muttered under his breath _Musica-cordisio_. All of a sudden classical music started softly playing all around them. Aria's senses were alight, and her eyes were the brightest green, as if the garden itself was reflected in her eyes. She moved those green eyes to face Lucius' grey ones but didn't say anything. Just stared in appreciation. No one had ever appreciated her interests as much as this man right here. She instantly knew she made the right choice in coming to England. People here, especially this man right in front of her, were so much different than she had ever known before.

They walked for some time. The sun was slowly setting on the horizon and Aria feared they would get lost if it got any darker. The gardens were expansive, and with several hedge mazes and magical, hidden groves, she could stay in here all night.

She still had her hand on Lucius' arm, and it seemed as if he was reading her mind, as he began leading her back to the warm house. He was worried it might have become too late. The tea would have been cold by now.

"Can you stay for tea? I can have it heated up if you'd like. Or I can offer you something stronger, perhaps?" He raised his eyebrow at her, as if tempting her.

"Mr. Malfoy, you are so kind. Thank you so incredibly much for today but I promised some of the other ambassadors in the program I would head to the pubs with them tonight! But maybe I can come another day and take you up on that tea?...If you wouldn't mind."

"As you wish," he said. He hid it well that he was slightly disappointed that she declined. He would keep her here all night if he could. "I will have the books I pulled for you delivered by tomorrow afternoon," he said as he led her to the front doors. "And I can't forget to give you this, as well," he stopped and pulled a golden envelope out from his jacket pocket.

"What's this?" she smiled as she took the envelope.

"Open it."

Aria tore open the envelope and inside was a black piece of paper with silver writing, almost glowing.

_You are cordially invited to a grand Masquerade Ball at Malfoy Manor_

_In honor of the new Ambassadors Program at the Ministry of Magic._

_Please wear your most grand costume and remember_

_No mask, no entrance._

_The ball begins at 8:00PM next Saturday September 10_ _th_ _._

_We look forward to welcoming you._

Aria couldn't believe it. A grand ball here at the Manor. Next weekend. How perfect.

"Oh I would be delighted. This is so completely _ME."_ She smiled. "I will have to figure out what to wear!"

"You know I was partly inspired by you and your passions for the time period. The Ministry of course wanted me to host something, but after talking with you the other day, a Masquerade seemed fitting," he smirked.

"It is perfect." She agreed. "Well thank you so much for today Mr. Malfoy. It is a day I won't ever forget!"

He nodded his head in acknowledgement and opened the giant front doors for her. As he watched her apparate, he instantly missed her presence. He didn't know why but his feet lead him up the stairs and back into the library. He stopped when he reached the harpsicord at the far end of the room. He sat down and began to play. Then he began to write a song….

* * *

Aria had a great time with her new friends that night. Pepper was there and Aria mostly sat and talked with her. They were the only two from the USA and they instantly bonded over that. Although California and New York couldn't be any more different, it didn't matter to them. They made friends with a pair of kind German women as well, who had just graduated from their school over in Munich.

One of the ambassadors in the group was from Brazil, his name was Paulo. The whole night he was trying desperately to get Aria's attention. He was rather vulgar and rather forceful and several times Aria had to get up and pretend to go get another drink just to get away. Pepper thankfully would step in most of the night and steal her attentions away so that he wouldn't have the chance to speak to her, but she constantly felt him under the table trying to play footsie with her. The more he drank the worse it got.

After a few hours Aria decided to leave, wishing she was back at Malfoy Manor instead of out drinking. Perhaps she should have stayed for a drink that night. On her short walk back from the pub, Aria felt as if she was being followed. She was nearly to her building on her street, when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rising to attention. She quickly turned around and saw Paulo.

"Paulo!" She shrieked. "You scared me! Why are you following me? Do you live over here?"

Aria was getting a bad feeling about things. There was no one around this late at night and she had left her wand up in her flat. Not thinking she needed it to go out bar hopping in the muggle world.

"No I don't live here… I wanted to follow you…I wanted you…" he said as he reached for her arm. He grabbed it hard. He was extremely drunk. She tried jerking back but his grip was strong, and it hurt her.

"You're hurting me!" she screamed. "Let go! I just want to go home, I-"

He cut her off by pressing his heated mouth to hers. He tasted of stale beer and it made her want to vomit. She tried pressing her mouth together and tried shoving him off of her, but his grip was a vice and he forced her mouth open with his tounge. It was repulsive. His mouth released hers finally and she tried screaming. She got out a little bit of a scream when she felt his large, rough hand smack her across the face. She saw stars.

"Shut up you bitch! People will hear. I just want you. Just relax and let me do this!" he slurred harshly in her ear.

Her face burned and tears were streaming down her face. "Stop it! Stop it please!" she sobbed.

Paulo grabbed her then by the neck and shoved her against the side of the wall that was nearest them. His free hand shoved its way down the front of her dress and grabbed her left breast hard. Aria sobbed intensely. This was not the way this should have been happening. Aria was a virgin. She had only just graduated school and at the age of 19 she had only been experienced in certain things. She knew this wasn't how it was supposed to be at all. Not any of this….

Back at Malfoy Manor, Lucius was enjoying a nightcap of Firewhisky and was about to head off to bed, when suddenly he felt something. He was not sure where the feeling came from, but it was one of dread and fear. His stomach dropped and he dropped his glass of whisky on the ground. Some part of his soul deep down knew something was wrong with Aria. He couldn't explain at the time how he knew it, but he knew. He had known her address and contact information, since the Ministry provided all mentors with their mentee's profile information and how to contact them for owl deliveries and such. He would be lying if he said that on his way home from work the other day if he didn't casually take the long way around St. James Park, to pass by her street and her building. He was glad now that he had done that, as he knew exactly where he had to apparate.

The second Lucius arrived he came upon a scene that made his blood boil. He saw Aria pressed up against a wall, a savage beast with his hand around her throat. He could see she was struggling. Not losing a second, it was as if everything was happening in slow motion. He withdrew his wand, which he had kept in his pant pocket that day instead of his walking stick and pointed it at the young man who was attacking Aria.

_Expelliarmus!_

The boy flung off of her and hit the opposite wall with a thud and landed to the ground passed out in a heap.

Lucius raced over to Aria, his heart beating wildly in his chest. Aria had slumped down on her side of the wall and seemed to be frozen in terror, tears streaming down her face, her sobbing growing more and more intense. She was beginning to hyperventilate, even though the immediate danger had passed.

"Aria!" he said as he ran over to her. He had never used her name before, but he didn't care about propriety at this moment.

She didn't respond but her arms reached out to him almost as if she was a young child. He made it to her in a few strides and sank to his knees and held her in his arms, letting her sob and sob and sob. After some time of just holding her, he finally got up and helped her up to her feet. She was wobbly so he put one of her arms over his shoulders and held her by the waist. He couldn't believe he was holding her so close, but now was not the time to care about that, all that mattered was helping her get home.

"Is this your building?" he nodded his head towards the big white building to their right.

She didn't speak but nodded her head. All of her weight was now being supported by him. She was beginning to lose consciousness.

As he made his way up the front steps, he didn't know which flat was hers. "Aria. Aria I need to know which flat is yours. Can you hear me?" Her eyes had closed, and she was completely slumped against him.

She briefly regained consciousness "16" she said quickly before fully passing out again. At this Lucius put his other arm under her knees and scooped her up into his arms. He made his way up the two flights of stairs with the young woman helplessly encased in his arms and when he got to her door, he murmured Alohomora, the unlocking spell.

He stepped into her apartment but took little notice of what it looked like. He carried her to the bedroom and laid her down on the big white bed. She looked like a fallen angel. He didn't want to do anything to disturb her, so he slowly and carefully took off her boots and left her in her clothes as he pulled the down comforter over her. She was still unconscious. He didn't know why but he instinctively reached out and brushed her stray hair in her face behind her ear gently. She was so beautiful it almost hurt. It hurt him even more to see the angry red welt, an apparent slap had made across her face. His blood boiled in anger. He knew he would make this man pay, whoever he was. He took out his wand and quickly did a healing charm over her face, and the welt faded. He also noticed some bruising around her neck, which he also healed as best as he could. Healing charms weren't his strong suit, but he knew the pain would be subdued.

As he did his charms, Aria briefly opened her eyes, as if in a dream. She looked up blearily into his grey eyes and murmured ever so softly, "Lucius. Lucius…" and she faded back into oblivion.


	3. Chapter 3-Light of the Sun

Lucius sat on the floor by Aria's bedside until the early morning dawn shown through her window. Lucius glanced at the alarm clock on her bedside and saw that it was 5 o'clock in the morning. His back ached with the pain of sitting on the floor all night and his eyes were bloodshot and strained from keeping them open all night. He didn't know why he felt so protective of this young woman, but he knew after what he witnessed happening to her last night, that he never wanted to let her out of his sight again. The pain it caused him to see such a beautiful person inside and out, suffer at the hands of such a monster made his blood begin to boil again.

Only a few years before, Malfoy himself would have considered himself a monster. Taking whatever he wanted by force; stopping for no one on his path to glory despite their emotions or pain. But in the years that followed the War, his path to righteousness strayed to a different course. Now he just wanted peace. He wanted to do what made him content, and cared little for anyone else. He had spent too much time in his past being a minion of someone else. No more. But he also found himself caring about this blond-headed beauty beside him on the bed. It was all so fast and confusing. He looked behind him at the woman on the bed. She had slept peacefully throughout the night, but he realized she might have still been unconscious for most of it.

Before she could wake, he would leave. He didn't want to frighten her even more. He didn't even know if she would remember him being there upon her waking. With one final glance back, Lucius made his way quietly out of her apartment, finally noticing for the first time her room and apartment. It was simply elegant, just like her, with lots of white accents. He truly was in the presence of an angel, he smirked to himself. Again, that stark contrast between his darkness and her lightness, stood out to him; and all the more intrigued and excited him.

Aria woke at around 9 o'clock in the morning. Her body ached and her head spun with dizziness. She felt like she had the worst hangover in the world, even though she didn't overly drink last night. Instantly her body started shaking with the remembrance of what happened. Her hand instantly came up to her face, expecting to wince at the feeling of a welt, but realized that it was gone. She shakily got up from her bed, realizing she was still in her clothes from yesterday. She stripped them off and went into the bathroom to observe herself in the mirror. Her blond hair was disheveled, and her makeup was smeared. The welt had completely gone, and there was only the faintest hint of bruising on her neck. As more memories from the night before flooded back into her mind, a few tears fell down her face. Partly from the trauma of being sexually assaulted, but also relief that Paulo didn't get as far as he could have with her body.

With that relief came also came the immediate feeling of immense gratitude. Gratitude for her savior, her knight in shining armor. Lucius. He had saved her. She had no idea how he knew of her distress in that moment, but all she remembered was one moment she was having the life choked out of her and her body groped, and the next she had been wrapped up in a pair of comforting, strong arms and the most beautiful scent had engulfed her being. The scent had calmed her down immensely. It was the crisp scent of spearmint and heady, musky scent of masculinity. It was the scent of him; of Lucius. Then all she remembered was waking up that morning, not knowing how she got into her apartment.

After her shower she took out her fluffiest robe she had and cocooned herself in it and went back to bed. As she lay in bed staring off into nothingness, that same scent of Lucius was in the air, just barely, but it was definitely there. Had he been here all night watching over her? She couldn't remember. She wished she had a way of contacting him, to ask him if it had all been a dream. Aria checked her phone and saw a few texts from Pepper. Pepper was clearly worried that she had left so abruptly.

_Hey Aria, thanks for coming out with us last night! Just checking in to see if you were okay. You left pretty quickly last night, and you seemed a bit annoyed. Call me ok?! Let me know how you are._

Aria's eyes misted over with unshed tears. Should she tell Pepper what happened? She didn't want to make it awkward at work. Paulo would certainly be at work at the start of the week, most likely acting like nothing happened. Did he even remember what he did? He was so drunk, Aria wasn't sure he would even know what he was doing. But then she remembered, that even when he was less drunk at the start of the night, he was still just as pushy and abrasive. Her tears spilled over at the realization that he would in fact knew exactly what he did and would most likely act like nothing happened.

Aria decided to text Pepper back and tell her what happened. She had made up her mind that if Paulo was going to act like nothing had happened, she should at least tell someone else to get the truth of it out there.

_Hey, can you come over to my place? I have to tell you something._

A minute passed and Pepper responded.

_Ya of course! Be right over with some tea!_

_Xoxo_

* * *

After Lucius had left Aria's apartment he was walking back down the street of the incident and noticed in a heap by the side of the building. Paulo's unconscious body. Probably still disgustingly drunk. Lucius' spell had hit him hard last night and he was probably nursing the worst headache imaginable. Lucius rage hit him hard at the site of the maggot, laying there in the dirt; and then an idea struck him. It was a dark thought, one that came straight from his past. He knew he would act on it, then and there. His strong instinct to protect Aria from harm was too intense. Immediately he walked over to the unconscious body, grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and apparated…straight into the dungeons of the Malfoy Manor.

Malfoy's heart was beating hard in his chest, partly from pure rage and partly from the adrenaline of doing something he knew was inherently bad. He couldn't help it. His dark side had taken over in that instant and he relished in it. But deep in his heart he knew he was doing something bad because he cared about someone else. He wasn't simply doing something bad just to be bad.

He chained Paulo's arms, spread wide against the wall. His head slumped over as his arms were now supporting the weight of his upper half. He still did not wake. Lucius wound his arm back and then punched with all of his might straight into Paulo's abdomen. With a choking intake of air, Paulo sputtered and coughed into delirious consciousness. Lucius saw him gasping for air and looking around him with intense confusion and fear.

"Wh..what…where am I…what's going on?!" he stuttered.

Lucius looked at him from the shadows to where he had begun pacing as Paulo recovered his breath.

"You are paying for what you did; you disgusting piece of vile filth."

Paulo recognized Lucius from the Ministry and the program as one of the mentors.

"Malfoy? What are you doing? Where am I!? What the fuck!"

"You know perfectly well why you are here!" screamed Lucius back into his face as he swung another punch at Paulo's face this time. "HOW DARE YOU EVEN QUESTION AS TO WHY YOU ARE HERE!"

Blood streamed down Paulo's face, seeping from his nose.

"What the fuck!" He screamed again.

Lucius grabbed his neck hard and pinned him against the dungeon wall as Paulo gasped for air again and again.

"How does that feel? How does it feel having a hand around your throat as you struggle to break free? As you struggle to breath? That is what you did to Aria, you piece of shit….I am going to make you pay….make you beg for mercy. How dare you even lay your hands on something so perfect. You don't even deserve to look at her, let alone lay your filthy paws on her."

Lucius' grey eyes seared into Paulo's soul. Paulo nearly pissed himself with fear. He was certain he would die at the hands of this man in front of him.

"Look…I..I w-was drunk…I didn't mean to hurt her…" Paulo lied through his teeth. He knew full well what he had wanted last night, even through the drunken haze.

"LIAR!" Malfoy punched him again, this time on the temple. More blood oozed from his face.

Paulo finally smiled, a sickeningly smug smile through the blood on his face that was dripping into that horrid smile.

"You're right," he laughed "I would have had her too if it wasn't for you interfering! Just mad you couldn't get to her first?"

Lucius's rage boiled over the edge. He whipped his wand out and pointed it straight at Paulo's chest.

"Crucio!"

Paulo's face twisted in agonizing pain. Lucius let the spell last for a good, long ten seconds before flicking his wand again and releasing the curse.

Paulo's breathing was ragged, and his head sagged down and he passed out.

Lucius' breathing was just as hard and ragged. He knew he could get into an extreme amount of trouble for using an unforgiveable curse, but he didn't care. He had to leave the cell though, before he did something even worse. He walked out and slammed the door to the cell. He didn't know what he would do with Paulo next, but he didn't quite care at the moment. As he made his way blearily up the stairs to his room he passed by the library and looked over to the harpsicord. He was inspired to continue writing his piece of music he started the other day. He sat back down to writing.

Back at Aria's flat, Pepper had come over with some tea and had intently listened to Aria's harrowing story. Aria had left out the part about Lucius, telling Pepper instead, that she had managed to kick Paulo in the balls and had run off to the safety of her apartment. Aria still wasn't even sure what had happened herself and didn't yet want to tell anyone about the connection that was felt between her and Lucius. She had come here for her career and she wanted people to see that.

"I can't believe that douchebag did that to you!" said an enraged Pepper. "Thank god you managed to get away before he could go any farther."

"He went far enough…I don't know how I am going to face him back at work on Monday," said Aria through a few tears.

"Just stick by me! I've got your back! And so do your other colleagues. And you seem to like your mentor Lucius, although I can't all together imagine why. His reputation is horrid."

"He is actually really interesting and intelligent, and easy to talk to once you get to know him," Aria said looking down and blushing slightly. Pepper didn't pick up on her flush.

"Really? Well it should be interesting to go to his house for the Ambassador's Masquerade Ball next weekend," Pepper said trying to cheer her up.

"Oh ya…I had forgotten about that," said Aria flatly. "I was excited…but again…after what happened, I don't know if I should even go anymore."

"Girl, what are you talking about? Of course you should go! That is totally right up your ally! You love stuff like that."

"I know, I know..I'm just scared now…God I am so mad how one stupid man can make me so scared! He shouldn't have that power over me" Aria now blushed more out of rage than anything else.

Pepper noticed her flush this time. "Yes be mad Aria! Be so mad that it gives you confidence and power! You got this girl! You are smart, kind, and brave. You can do this, and you will. You came here to the other side of the world for yourself and your happiness. Keep reaching for it."

Aria could almost cry at how amazing Pepper was treating her. Even through what happened, she still had no regrets coming here. In just a short amount of time she had not only made such a great friend, but had also met Lucius, and she was starting her career. She really wouldn't change it for anything. Aria nodded and smiled in agreement with Pepper.

She still wasn't sure if she would go to the ball yet. She would see how the week turned out and how she felt. She was still quite shaken. But she knew that on Monday she would have to see Lucius. She had to remember what happened, and she knew she had to thank him, for whatever part he played.

* * *

After a weekend of resting in bed and recovering from her trauma of the weekend, Aria woke up on Monday with a much-needed jolt of energy at the thought of seeing Lucius today. She hadn't heard anything from him at all over the weekend besides an owl delivering the books he had pulled for her from his library. No note had been attached.

Aria dressed in a pair of skinny black pants and a black leather jacket. She didn't feel much like being her typical airy self today. She made it to work and was thankful to not see Paulo anywhere. Perhaps he did feel shame after all and couldn't stand to face her. Good.

Luckily Aria was working on her first work assignment. It was interesting work and related to her interests as her first assignment was all about being an advocate for the preservation of historical wizarding landmarks and how the wizarding community around the world could help in the preservation process. Of course her focus was on American and British landmarks, being an ambassador, she acted as a liaison between the two.

She hadn't seen Lucius, but she realized she wouldn't really be seeing him a lot unless she sought him out. He had his own job to focus on, and being a mentor meant that he would be there for her if she needed him, but not required to check in daily. As her workday came to a close at around 5 o'clock, Aria got up and started to make her way down the winding corridors to Lucius' office. His door was closed, and her nerves started to flare up. Maybe she should just leave it alone. But before she could scare herself even further, her mind knew that it wanted answers and she bravely knocked three times.

"Come in," said a honeyed voice from behind the door. Her heart leapt at the sound.

"It's me Mr. Malfoy, it's Aria." She said as she gently opened the door and stepped through the office. The scent of him instantly engulfed her senses, causing her a feeling of peace.

Lucius instinctively rose up from his desk chair as she entered the room. His heart was pounding. He wasn't sure if she would seek him out today. He had hoped but hadn't thought she actually would. He looked at her with an incredible sense of compassion, a very unlikely facial expression for the man.

"Please sit, Miss De La Cour," he motioned towards one of the chairs facing his desk.

She sat and kept her eyes down. Lucius sat when she did, and he longed for her to look up at him with those brilliant green eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy, I wanted to…I wanted to thank you. I don't really remember what happened, but I think you were there a few nights ago. You saved me." She finally looked up at him her eyes watery and bright.

He sighed a long breath out. So, she did remember, and those wide green eyes of wonder were looking at him as if he was her guardian angel. He didn't know how to respond. He truly didn't know how he knew she was in danger, so he couldn't explain that part of it to her.

"I couldn't see any harm come to you…" he said almost in a whisper, as he himself looked down at his hands in his lap.

"If it wasn't for you, I don't know what I would have done. He would have stolen my…my…" her voice tapered off as she realized she was about to reveal to this man in front of her that she was a virgin. Her cheeks flamed red. Lucius' cheeks went a light pink as well, as he realized what she was about to say. She was a virgin.

At the awkwardness of it all, Aria's shyness kicked in and her awkwardness of the situation started causing her to ramble.

"It's not like I'm waiting for marriage or anything. I just want to make sure it is with the right person and that it's special and that it's right. It has to be right. Not like that. Not when I am scared and hurt and crying and-"

"Miss De La Cour, it's all right," Lucius said to her gently but fierce at the same time as he leaned towards her as if to reach out to her. "You don't need to explain. I completely understand. I am just glad I was there to help you. It would have hurt me to think you would have been hurt." Again, he looked down. Anytime he revealed his true feelings he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of shame.

"How did you know I needed help?"

"I honestly don't know…I have been wondering the same thing. One second I was in my study about to head off to bed and the next moment I got the most horrible feeling that someone was in danger, and I knew it was to be you." His grey eyes flicked up to hers, filled with confusion and wonder.

She stared back with the same amount of wonder. Her eyes misted over, but she didn't cry. Thankfully. Lucius wouldn't know what to do if she were to cry again. It almost killed him seeing that the other night.

"How did you know where I lived?" She asked again.

"All of the mentors get their mentee's information," he answered truthfully. "Also, I had it to send you those books. You received them, right?"

"Oh yes I did. Thank you," she smiled softly.

Lucius breathed in a shaky breath. "Miss De La Cour, I hope that this will not stray you from your path. You are an…exceptional witch…" he admitted out loud. "I should not wish for this to damper your spirits. Do not let such a maggot such as that impudent, worthless piece of garbage stop you from achieving greatness. If it is one thing I learned from my family, even if their intentions were not as noble as yours, is don't let anyone stand in your way of greatness."

Aria didn't know what to say. She could just stare at that perfect man in wonder. Although no one else thought it, he was perfect to her.

"Thank you, so much, Mr. Malfoy," she said. One tear did fall over onto her cheek. Lucius removed the white silk handkerchief from inside his pocket and handed it to her. Aria laughed internally to herself as she reached for the handkerchief. This man, although clearly in the present, had all the manner and attitude of a man outside of his time. They did not make men like this anymore. She almost wondered if she had made him up. "I am so lucky you are my mentor, and that I met you in general." She said smiling up at him as she wiped the tear away.

With that she got up from her seat. Malfoy stood up as she did and didn't expect what came next. Aria strode over to him and put her arms around him in the most perfect and warm embrace he had ever received. All he could feel was her true appreciation and gratitude and care for him. His breath stopped. She held on for what seemed like an age. His arms did not fully embrace her but were frozen awkwardly out to his sides. Not that he didn't want to put his arms around her and return her embrace. He just didn't expect the touch of this woman to paralyze him to his very core.

"Sorry…" she said backing up from the embrace. "I just had to." She smiled up at him weekly. The faintest hint of a smile spread across his lips as he looked back at her. She turned around and was about to head out the door when Lucius called after her.

"I will see you at the masquerade this weekend?" He asked almost pleadingly.

She stopped and turned around and shrugged her shoulders.

"I would love to…I just…I don't know…I'm…I don't know how to put it." She gave up searching for the words. With one final smile she turned around and walked out. Afterwards, both of them knew deep down that with that first intimate touch wheels had been set into motion.

* * *

The week dragged on and Aria was more and more wary about going to the ball. She hadn't prepared anything and had nothing grand or spectacular to wear. She also hadn't seen Paulo all week thank God but was worried he would appear at the ball. Everyone would be wearing masks so it would be hard to tell if it was him or not, and that worried her.

On that Friday night, the night before the ball, Aria sat curled up in her bed reading one of the books Lucius had loaned her. It was of course perfect, only he could truly guess what it is she would love to read about. She was currently nose deep in a fascinating picture book of Wizarding World rococo interior design when she heard scratching on her window. It was 4 large owls carrying a gigantic parcel for her. She let them in, and they laid the parcel gingerly down on her bed. It looked extremely heavy. She gave them their rewards and sent them off into the night. Her breathing was rushed. What in the world could it be, she thought to herself.

She carefully untied the string that held it all together and stared in wonder and amazement. Inside was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen in her entire life. It was a traditional 18th century dress, known as a Robe à la Française, in the most exquisite golden fabric that sparkled and shined in the light of her room. Each fiber looked like it was made from a million encrusted gold diamonds. The middle of the bodice, the stomacher as it was called, was a shinier softer silk material and embroidered on it was a brilliant sun, like the kind you saw on the golden gates of Versailles. Three Fleur de Lis encircled the sun, one on each side and on the bottom. A matching headpiece came with it. It was meant to fit on her head like a golden band with the rays of the sun pointing out in all directions. It was like a crown in the shape of a sun, was the best way to describe it. A pair of matching shoes and crème stockings came with it as well as the pannier hoops to put under the dress to give it the iconic Marie Antoinette style size and look. And most importantly a golden mask that looked like the golden filigree of a rococo frame and that also sparkled and shined in the light.

A note was at the bottom. In the most perfect handwriting, almost script like, the note read:

_You shine like the light of the sun._

_Do not ever let anyone dull that._

_Wear this and become the Queen that you are._

_L.M._

Aria's heart bloomed and her soul lit on fire and she said to herself, "It looks like I have a ball to go to tomorrow."


	4. The Masquerade

****

**I hope you all are enjoying this so far. This is essentially my first ever story I have written! This chapter will be primarily from Lucius' point of view because I wanted to make Aria's grand entrance to the ball a heart-stopping moment for Lucius, and it will be the first more spicier chapter! This is the chapter where Lucius debuts his song he had written for Aria. In my mind it is the melody of "River Flows in You" by Yiruma. There is a harpsicord version on Youtube too which I thought was cool! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

It was the day of the Masquerade Ball and Lucius was at his Manor planning all of the last-minute touches for the evening. He had hired hundreds of Witches and Wizards who worked in special events to help decorate his already elaborate and epic Manor into one that sparkled and shined and would feel like a dream when all of the candles and chandeliers were lit. He had also hired a live classical band, a mini orchestra it was, to play through the night. They would be positioned in the grand ballroom of Malfoy Manor. The doors in the ballroom that opened out onto the beautiful parterre and gardens would remain open through the night so his guests could easily go from dancing and drinking, to outside to explore the Wonderland that was his garden.

He was nervous for tonight. No, not because he was hosting such a large and important event at his home, or that his engrained need in him to always be a slight show off would be on full display; but because he wasn't sure if the one person he wanted to really see would be there that night. He had finished writing the song he had started on his harpsicord over the week and he had given it to the orchestra to perform that night. She needed to be there. To hear his heart put into the music he wrote for her. There was also a small matter of the fact that he still had that wretch, Paulo, in his dungeons and he couldn't risk any prying eyes or wanderers finding their way into the dungeons of his home that night. Paulo was in much the same shape as he was when Lucius had brought him to the dungeons a week before. He had made sure the maggot was sustained enough with scraps of food and water, so as not to kill him, but he made sure he suffered greatly each day whether it was by his hands or by his wand.

Lucius was planning on releasing him, with a good memory charm to make sure all of the events of him being tortured, him meeting Aria, and even him being in the ambassador program were completely gone from his mind. He would apparate them to somewhere far off and remote, perhaps the highlands of Scotland, and he would leave him and let the man fend for himself. Tonight, he wouldn't release him though. There was too much to worry about. So with that he put some protective charms around the door leading down to the dungeons, so that the door ended up looking like a plain wall.

As the day went on and Lucius' house became more and more like a fairytale around him, he decided it was his time to go and get ready. The night was almost about to begin. Lucius had sent Aria her dress. He had specifically thought it up for her and had it magically made and spun from some of the most delicate and rare fabrics available. For himself he had bought an exquisite garment but one that reflected the feelings of the moon and night rather than the sun.

His outfit was made from the finest of black velvet and embroidered with a thread so silver that it shined as if made from metal. From the tight-fitting black velvet pants, to the long velvet overcoat that went over a shiny brocaded silver waistcoat. Embroidered on the back of his long overcoat was the outline of a crescent moon, which shone as if moonlight itself was emanating from it. He wore a black tri-corn hat, the fashion of the time in the 18th century, and his mask was a simple black mask that had tiny silver stars scattered across it. The silver-grey of the stars made his equally silver eyes pop. He tied his long platinum hair back with a silk black ribbon. He observed his fine form in the mirror of his bedroom. He looked like the King of a magical moonlit Kingdom. He could only hope his Sun Queen would come to him that night.

As 8 o'clock rolled around, the guests started to arrive. Some in pairs and some alone. A lot of the mentors accompanied their mentees but soon people were mingling and enjoying the fine champagne that was being passed around on trays. Some witches and wizards opted for more extravagant costumes, like Lucius, while others dressed in more modern wizarding robes, but everyone wore a mask. It was hard to tell who was who but that was the fun of it. Lucius made his rounds, nodding his head politely at his guests, but never stopping to talk to one person or the other. His heart sunk a bit when he saw the Granger witch and her mentee, Pepper. Aria usually hung around them. If they were here and she wasn't that didn't bode well.

Lucius grabbed another class of champagne as the orchestra started to play. People began to gather around the ballroom dance floor and swirl and sway and dance to the classical music. It truly looked like a scene out of an 18th century painting. It was a grand affair. Even the Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt came up to him and congratulated him for an amazing event.

"Mr. Malfoy, thank you for holding such a great event for our staff and for our new hires. This truly is…extravagant…and very generous…I must say."

"Hmmm, it is isn't it…" replied Malfoy cooley and walked away. He and Shacklebolt would always have hard tension between them. There was too much baggage there.

As Malfoy made his way back from outside and into the grand ballroom to watch the dancing and festivities, his breath and heart stopped as a magnificent woman had just entered the room. Everyone seemed to be focused on the woman as well. The light and aura she radiated was too glorious to not notice. Standing in the doorway was the most glorious sight. Aria stood there as golden as the sun. The dress he had sent her was now fitted perfectly on her body. The gold of the fabric complimented her already radiant skin and it sparkled in a million tiny diamonds with each movement of her body. It synched perfectly at her waist and her breasts were pushed up to the perfect amount, showcasing her beautiful assets, which was common in 18th century gowns, but it was still spectacular to behold. Her hair was piled high on her head and stray, blond waves fell on either side of her face. The headpiece poked out from her volumized hair making it look like the rays of the sun were emanating from the crown of her head. Through the gold filigree mask she was wearing, her emerald green eyes sparkled in the candlelight of the room and were trained on his own grey ones.

Lucius saw that she could sense everyone was staring as a pink flush made its way up her chest and to her cheeks, or what little he could see of her face behind the mask. Before he made his way over, he waited a few seconds for everyone to get their fill of the sight of her. After a bit people went back to their mingling and talking and dancing. Lucius was about to walk over to her, to be near her, when Pepper and Hermione Granger made their way over first. He glared at them from across the room.

"Damn it…" he mumbled to himself. Fine. He would let them mingle for a while. He would make sure she would be alone though when his special song for her started. He made his way over to the conductor of the mini-orchestra and told him to give him a sign of when the song was to begin.

"Oh my goodness Aria, you look STUNNING!" said Hermione. She was wearing a simple red dress with matching red mask.

"Thank you so much," blushed Aria. "I wasn't sure if I was going to make it tonight, but wow this place is gorgeous, I am so glad I did."

"Girl this place is not as gorgeous as you…" said Pepper who stared at her up and down in amazement. "Where in the world did you get this masterpiece of a garment?!"

"Magic," Aria said winking. The three witches all grabbed some champagne and began catching up. It was pleasant conversation, but Aria's eyes flicked across the room looking for Lucius. She had seen him when she entered but he had gone off to mingle with other guests. A few times she saw him across the ballroom and would catch his eye. He would stare at her with bright grey eyes and she would always smile discreetly at him from across the room. She loved his smirks he would return back, and they always made her heart flutter and a knot in her lower stomach form; the knot felt good.

Lucius kept making eye contact with Aria from across the room, and every time her warm smile she sent his way made his heart beat fast and his groin stir. He couldn't help it. As more and more people made their way to the dance floor to enjoy the classical music, he glanced over at the composer who gave him a nod. That was the sign. His song would be next, and the timing couldn't be any more perfect. Hermione and Pepper seemed to be in search for some more champagne and Aria was, finally, for the first time on her own since she arrived.

Lucius strode over to her, his long legs wasting no time in getting him to his prize. He reached her, his grey eyes piercing into her green ones. He lowered his head and bowed at the hips in the most gallant and old-fashioned way. He then grabbed her hand gently in his warm ones and kissed the top of her hand. Aria's heart soared.

"Miss De La Cour," Malfoy looked her breathlessly. "Might I just say that you are simply exquisite. You look as if you were born from the sun's light itself."

"Thank you so much Mr. Malfoy. For everything. For this perfect dress. For this night. For being you."

Lucius couldn't believe his ears. He didn't feel worthy of what she was saying to him. No one had ever thanked him for simply being himself. His whole life he had never been enough for anyone, not even himself, on his path to glory. And here before him. This young witch from across the world, simply adored him for just being him. He almost wept at the thought of it. He knew right then and there he would never let her go. She held his blackened heart in the palm of her golden hands.

As his thoughts raced, he heard the first moments of his song begin to play on the harpsicord accompanied by the beautiful sounds of a harp.

"Can I have this dance?" He asked reaching out his hand towards Aria.

She grabbed it and he led her to the dance floor. He spun her around fast so that she abruptly faced him, and his right hand grabbed her waist firmly and his left hand grabbed her right hand and held it up. He began to sway and dance in tune to the beautiful song. The whole time their eyes were locked as if in a lovers embrace. Lucius noticed Aria was breathing quickly. Her luscious breasts were so close he could feel them every time she breathed in, pressing lightly against his own chest. He swallowed hard. He had never felt more alive than in this moment. She finally spoke.

"This song is beautiful. I don't recognize it. Who composed it? I can't believe I can't put my finger on it. This music is so beautiful, you would think I would know who it is," she rambled as she smiled up at him.

"I did." He said matter of flatly. "It gives me great pleasure that you love it. You inspired it…" he said his eyes pouring his soul into hers. "It is called _Lumiere De Mon Coeur."_

"Light of my heart…" she said back, as she translated it. "I inspired it?" she looked up into his eyes as they kept swaying and moving to the beautiful song.

"Yes." He said seriously. His words raspy and erotic in her ear. "I have never felt this way so fast, about anyone….ever." He admitted to himself and her.

"Lucius…" she said in wonder. Her heart felt as if it was to burst.

His heart felt much the same at hearing his name from her lips and seeing how clearly touched she was by the song. They didn't say anymore for the duration of the song. Lucius led her across the dancefloor with mind-numbing grace. People stared, but neither minded. Sun and Moon dancing together across a candlelit floor. It was perfect. When the song ended, Lucius raised her hand again to his lips and kissed it gently.

"Will you walk with me?" He asked her as he nodded his head towards the outside parterre.

She nodded and smiled.

He grabbed her hand again and led her out to the candle lit gardens. The fountains were all on and there were twinkle lights strung throughout all of the hedges and bushes. Flamed torches lined the gardens, bathing it all in an other-worldly glow. Lucius noticed her green eyes taking in everything, dazzling in the candlelight. Lucius led her into the garden, not saying a word. He led her pretty deep into one of the groves until they came upon a gorgeous clearing. A fountain with a cupid sat in the middle with three stone benches placed around the fountain. Candles were placed all around and the clearing was the most romantic spot she had ever seen.

"This is perfect," Aria said as Lucius led them to a bench to the right of the fountain and sat them down.

He still said nothing. He just took her in. Seeing her taking in all around her. Finally, her eyes met his. They were both breathing heavily, still saying nothing. Just staring into each other. Aria's eyes flicked down to Lucius' lips. Lucius knew that was his invitation. He had been waiting to do what he did next, since the moment he first saw her.

He brought his right hand gently up to her face and caressed her cheek under the edge of her mask. He leaned in slowly, never breaking his gaze from hers. She didn't break his. He leaned in all the way until his lips lightly brushed her soft plush lips. He kissed her. It felt as if their hearts and minds were exploding with pleasure. Even the most chaste kiss, ignited both of their passions.

Aria reached her hand to put it on the back of his neck, bringing him closer in. She opened her mouth and deepened the kiss. He opened his mouth and his tongue sought out hers. Both of their tongues discovered the other's. A tiny moan escaped Aria's lips and he answered her back with a guttural, low moan of his own. They had both wanted this so badly and the relief of finally acting on it was overwhelming. They kissed for what seemed like hours, never wanting to break contact with the other. After a while both pulled away to come up for air.

"Lucius…" she sighed. "You are perfect. You aren't real." She laughed breathily.

He smirked back, his ego flaring in the most divine way. "I can assure you I am Miss De La Cour."

She looked at him fiercely. "Call me Aria. I want to hear you say my name."

He reached up to caress her cheek again and said in the most gilded honeyed voice, "Aria," while looking into her intensely.

Her eyes closed in near orgasmic pleasure. With her eyes till closed she then felt his warm lips again pressing gentle kisses all over. Her eyelids, her jaw, her cheeks, even her neck. Her skin tingled and gooseflesh rose. A soft moan escaped her lips again. Oh, how Lucius reveled in that noise. He didn't want to risk going too far with her. With what happened last weekend, and with the knowledge that she was a virgin, he didn't want to over-step his bounds. He stopped kissing, as much as he wanted to continue.

"Don't stop," she whispered.

He felt conflicted at first, but he didn't stop his ministrations.

"You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen," he whispered in her ear.

He continued his kissing down her neck and over the pushed-up mountains of her breasts. They were full and warm as they were tightly encased in the corset she wore. Lucius' hands nearly tingled with the touch of the perfect orbs. Aria continued to moan softly, more to herself. Lucius adored how she was so vocal about her pleasure. As he kissed the tops of her breasts, his hand reached up and slid the skirt of her gown slowly up, with each inch taking in her long, shapely legs. He took in the shoes and the crème silk stockings he had gotten for her, noticing how perfect they looked on her. His hand had made its way to the top of her knee and touched the bare skin of her lower thigh. So warm. He dared not go farther yet until he got a sign that he should continue. He stopped his kissing and looked into her eyes. She slowly opened her own to look back at him, and gave the slightest nod, almost barely discernable.

With almost shaky breath, Lucius' hand slid father up her leg, reaching the warmest part of her inner and upper thigh. He was so close. Her breath was shaking and ragged in his ear. He leaned back in to take her lips in his own and kissed her with such passion and care. As he was kissing her, his hand slid up the final amount more and he was at the doorway of heaven. She wasn't wearing any underwear, which turned him on so much more than he could imagine, and her skin on her most private area was bare and smooth, as smooth as velvet. And she was wet. So incredibly wet, he could feel the slickness of her without even feeling inside of her yet. His middle finger quickly reached down and slid across the valley of her lower lips, bringing with it her wetness until his finger landed on the small, hard bud of her clitoris.

She gasped and moaned heavily against his mouth which was still on hers, kissing her all the while. Lucius had been aroused this whole time but feeling her for the first time with his own touch, made his cock stand to agonizingly strong attention. But for tonight he wouldn't think about himself. He only thought of her, and her pleasure.

His finger on her clit started moving in agonizingly slow circles and sometimes he would switch to moving his finger up and down instead of in circles. Of course, he was a man of much experience and knowledge in how to pleasure a woman, but this was different. To have someone so pure and innocent literally in the palm of his hand, he had never felt such responsibility; one he would take very seriously. He would bring her pleasure she had never known before.

All the while she moaned and panted sometimes his name would escape her deliciously delicate lips.

"Lucius. Yes, yes. It feels so good. I've never felt this way before. I feel like I might…" her body arched against his finger which was still giving her clit the upmost attention.

"Do it. Aria, I want you to come for me so badly. I need you to. Do it. Feel me giving you pleasure and release it." He said this before bringing her lips to his once more and kissing her fiercely. Her pleasure was making him more and more hard, but he would ignore that. He only thought of her. His finger moved faster and faster, bringing her seeping wetness along with it. After a few final circles of his nimble finger, Aria's hands reached out and clinged to his shoulders for support as her back arched and she let out a breathtaking cry of bliss. In the midst of her orgasm she cried out "Lucius!" as her fingers dug more and more into his shoulders.

Lucius himself almost climaxed at the whole experience of making her climax. He had never felt in his life so much sexual pleasure from giving an orgasm to a woman before.

"You beautiful girl. You perfect angel," he whispered in her ear as she came down from her bliss. He felt a sense of pride he was able to make her come so hard, with just his finger on her clit. No penetration had happened. That would be for when she was truly ready, and for when she asked.

"Thank you, so much…" she said through hazy eyes as she looked up at him. Her cheeks were flushed. "You are the most amazing man." She said as she leaned her head against his shoulder. She was in such bliss she almost felt as if she should cry.

"It's not over yet, my beautiful girl…" he said as he leaned back from her and stared into her soul with those piercing grey eyes.

He got off the bench and kneeled before her. Her eyes widened. She knew what was about to come next. She wasn't sure if she should comply, but she heard him say softly, "Aria move your hips forward for me." She couldn't resist.

She scooted her bum to the edge of the bench she was sitting on. Lucius then pushed her dress completely up her legs so that the fabric poured over the sides of her thighs and her pussy was completely exposed to him. He took her in with a sense of wonder and awe. How did he get this lucky?

"You are exquisite," he said looking up at her with so much adoration in his eyes that were still peering at her through his starry mask.

She flushed and smiled at him. She felt so comfortable with him, that such an exposed position, caused her no embarrassment she realized. After that revelation, she saw his head bend down and his soft, warm tongue came into contact with her already sensitive clit. She gasped and her eyes opened wide and starred up at the night sky above her. They were the only two people in the universe at this moment, bathed in candlelight and passion.

Lucius moaned loudly, in an expression of immense satisfaction. She tasted just as he imagined; no, even better. She tasted of honey and salted caramel and it was the most delicious thing he had ever experienced. If he could bottle her scent and taste up, and only live off of that, he would. His skilled tongue worked around her clit much like his fingers, but its soft caresses covered a lot more of her and was able to take in her velvet lower lips and lap up the wetness that flowed from her. He could taste her previous orgasm on her, as the taste of it was more intense with each and every lick. He knew he would bring her back to it again.

Aria's head was swimming with pleasure. She couldn't quite believe this had come to pass, here and now with this perfect man. She felt as if she had just met him but at the same time had known him for ages; as if they were always at the precipice of getting to this moment. Perhaps, there was such a thing as soulmates? It had to be. No man had ever made her orgasm before. Yes, she was a virgin, but she had experienced other sexual acts such as fingering, but they had never made her come. She, herself, was still the only person that had ever made her come.

After a few minutes, she felt her pleasure start to boil in her again. She wanted to grab his hair and push him into her even more, but he was still wearing his hat and his hair was so nicely tied back that instead she leaned forward and grabbed his shoulders again. This time her orgasm was even more intense, as she was still so sensitive from her last. She cried out loud. Not caring if they were to be heard.

Lucius heard her scream and pleasure and he released a moan of his own as he felt her wetness grow even more. He lapped and drank her in. It was almost too much for him to comprehend. And as her shuddering came and went, Aria slid off the bench all together and collapsed into Lucius' arms. He held her on the ground strongly in his arms. Her essence was still all over his mouth, and he didn't dare wipe it away. She held him around his torso just as tightly as he held her.

"Is this normal?" she finally uttered out loud. "I have never felt this way with any man before."

"I haven't felt this way before either."

"Lucius, I feel bad, I didn't give you any pleasure. Here let me…" she started moving as if to start unbuttoning his pants.

"No," he stopped her. "I just wanted this. To give you pleasure. Don't worry, I don't need anything but this."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I've ever been. You are so radiant. You are light." He said stroking the sensitive skin of her exposed neck as he held her.

"Lucius…" she flushed, but she wanted to tell him. "No one has ever made me come before."

He looked down at her in wonder and moved his hand to stroke her cheek.

"I'm honored" he said with his honeyed voice.

He held her there for what seemed like hours, but finally they got up and made their way out of their hidden grove. They didn't say anything on their way back, but they held hands and would glance at each other often and smile at each other, their eyes shining with knowing of what had just passed between them. As they got back to where the party continued, they released hands. It wasn't the time to cause rumors. And went off their separate ways to mingle and dance and drink.

Aria stayed the entire time, talking with Pepper and her other friends; occasionally catching Lucius' eye from across the room. As more and more people started to leave, Aria decided to wait until the very end until, at last, it was just her and Lucius. She waited for him outside on the terrace; he knew she was there.

"You waited." He said matter of factly.

"Yes."

"Will you stay tonight? To sleep?" He asked. He knew he wouldn't ask any more from her.

She nodded in agreement. She was nervous, but she wanted to be with him, she needed him even more than ever.

He led her up the stairs. She had seen these rooms before, but he led her to the one room she hadn't seen. His room. He opened the door and inside she was surprised to see it extremely elegant but plain. The room was big but mainly only consisted of one large bed. Dark wood, with stark white bedding and sheets and pillows. A chandelier hung over the bed. The room had a few wardrobes and there was an attached bathroom and walk in closet. The bathroom was stunning with a claw-foot bathtub, that was the size of her own bathroom back at her flat. Another epic crystal chandelier hung over the bath. She realized his room was his haven. Why it was so simple, yet so clean and elegant. It was his escape. It smelled even more strongly of him. That amazing scent of spearmint and man.

By the time she was done looking around, Lucius had taken off his mask and hat and overcoat. He walked over to her and helped her get out of her corset and large panniers and petticoats. As he did that, she took off her mask and let down her hair, which felt so good to be loose after being in such a hair style all night. Finally, she stood bare except the light chemise she wore.

"I can get you my robe.." he offered.

"No." She replied as she unlaced the neck of the light garment and let it fall to the floor as she stood their naked before him.

She saw his eyes rake over her body. Completely in awe.

He couldn't believe his eyes. She was utter perfection. Seeing her completely naked was overwhelming. Her golden skin glowed in the night light and her full breasts, not too big and not that small, sat perfectly on her chest. Her light pink nipples were hard and her slim waist and perfect bellybutton highlighted her supple hips and bottom.

"Are you real, or a dream?" He uttered as he took her up in his arms and laid her down on the bed. She laughed slightly at his gallantness but settled into the extremely comfy down pillows and comforter.

"Come here," he said lying on the bed next to her and opening his arms for her to settle into. He was still in his shirt and trousers, but he didn't want to go any farther with her tonight. He just wanted her pleasure and contentment.

She snuggled into his strong hold and her breathing became even and slow.

"Thank you…for tonight. It has been perfect. The dress, the song, the garden..." She muttered softly into his chest.

He kissed her head lightly, and at that he felt her drift off into her dreams, which were sure to be of light, love and pleasure. He soon drifted off himself to join her in those dreams.


	5. Chapter 5- A Revelation

**Hi guys! Please review and let me know how you are liking it! More chapters over at Fanfiction! Also don't forget to check out my Pinterest which has images to go along with each chapter :) https://www.pinterest.com/VersaillesPixie/boards/**

* * *

Aria awoke the next morning feeling as if she was still in a dream. Her body was the most relaxed it had ever been, and her senses were alight. From the soft down comforter that caressed her skin, to the fresh and manly scent of the body next to her. The morning light seeped through the dark curtains and bathed the two of them in mystical light. She could sense that Lucius was awake. His breathing wasn't as deep as it had been all night as he slept. He still wore his clothes from the night before, but she longed to see him as naked as she was at that moment. Thinking about the man next to her, her fingers lightly reached up to his face and caressed his cheek with her feather light touch. She was so thankful to him. He had made her time in the UK, so far, a magical one. Yes, they had only known each other for so short of a time, but their connection was undeniable. She was only 19 and he had to have been at least 25 years her senior, but that mattered little. Aria was had been raised to be open-minded and accepting of love in whatever form it came in. There was a connection between them, and nothing could make her feel any differently. A small nagging in the back of her brain wondered if it would be different for him though. She was a half-blood, something he vehemently was known to hate, and maybe their age difference would bother him eventually, plus her lack of experience sexually.

Her nagging thoughts went instantly to the wayside the second she felt his hand take hers that was still caressing his cheek as he brought it to his lips and kissed gently.

"Good morning," he whispered in her ear.

"Good morning." She smiled against his chest. Her head had not left his warm chest all night.

"How did you sleep?"

"I haven't slept this well, since as long as I can remember. Everything continues to remain perfect when I am with you," she answered truthfully.

Lucius smiled to himself. He, himself, had slept marvelously. His arms held the beautiful woman by his side all night and her sweet scent and warm body had lulled him off to the deepest of sleep. He was at peace, for once in a very long time.

"Lucius, is this normal? How quickly we have become so connected? I have never felt this way before, I know I am young though. Maybe it is just me who feels this way…" she asked almost desperately, seeking answers from him.

Lucius thought for a few long seconds before answering and then spoke his truth.

"It is not. I myself, have never felt this way. Not even for my ex-wife…although our marriage was more of a convenience of pre-meditated match-making."

Lucius never loved his wife. Their marriage was simply to strengthen the pureness of blood between the two families. Of course, before her, he had always had women, lots of women. He knew he was good looking and even back when he was a young man, his confidence and security with himself was always overwhelming. But he had never felt anything tender or heartfelt for those women. They were all flings. The truth was, the type of connection he felt with Aria was something he truly had never felt, especially not so quickly, and it was something he only had heard about in books.

Then it dawned on him. He had some rare books in his ancient library that could explain the phenomenon they were feeling. He never had much interest before in that section of his library that contained all of the magical books on love spells, love potions, enchantments and whatnot. His type of dark magic back in the day didn't involve love spells, although there were love spells and potions that definitely were considered dark magic. But he knew he had some other collected volumes that discussed the ancient study of souls and love. Perhaps their answers could be found there. Aria spoke then, breaking his train of thought.

"So, it's not just me then, feeling this crazy?" she breathed out a sigh of relief. She wasn't going crazy after all.

"No. You have a hold over me. It as if you hold my black heart in your hands. I truly don't even feel worthy of you…"

Aria's heart reeled. Lucius was so old fashioned in the way he spoke; it drew her in so much more. He was the most romantic man she had ever met.

"Your heart isn't black Lucius. I know I wasn't here when everything during the War was going on, but I know that deep down, you are a good man."

His brow furrowed. "My darkness was a part of me long before the War too, Aria…I have always been hateful, spiteful and arrogant. I hated others who were not like me; not pure and powerful."

" _Hated._ You used the word in past tense. See, you are already changed in your thinking and you don't even realize it…" she smiled trying to prove to him his worth.

"Aria, I would never follow a wizard such as Voldemort ever again…but I still have my principals…I still value pureness over any other type of being…"

Aria moved on the bed so that she sat up slightly, her head resting on her hand, the comforter covering her slid down to expose the upper half of her body, her breasts revealed. She looked down at him as he looked up at her.

"And does that include me?" she stared at him with wide green eyes.

He stared into her eyes for an age taking her in. Her eyes, her bare skin, her breasts which were bathed in the soft light of the morning and considered her. No, it definitely did not include her; although she was half-blood, he realized that no longer mattered to him. When he kissed her, when he _tasted_ her, it was more than he could ever dream of.

"No Aria, it doesn't…but sometimes I don't even think you are of this world. Not human. Not witch. You are more…a goddess perhaps…" he said smirking at her as he reached over to caress her breast. He glided his fingertip over and under the curve of it and then around her nipple. She closed her eyes in pleasure as her nipple instantly hardened at his touch and she moaned in pleasure.

Lucius felt himself hardening. He wanted this gorgeous woman so bad, but not yet. Not until she came to him seeking it out. Aria opened her eyes back up to look longingly at him.

"I want to see you Lucius," she said as she reached out her hands to start unbuttoning his shirt. He smirked again.

He rolled out of bed and away from her touch and smirked even wider when he saw her lips pouting up at him.

He stood tall and proud facing her. She was truly amazed by his height and stance. She never realized before how powerful his presence was until this moment when he stood fully upright above her. She gaped at him as he slowly undid the crystal buttons of his dress shirt. His broad and muscled chest revealed itself and it was smooth and shining in the morning sun that seeped through the curtains. He slid the sleeves off of his strong arms. She reveled in his muscular arms, especially his forearms which had a light coating of hair that was darker than the platinum hair of his head. With one final swish, he shed the shirt and stood before her, completely bare from the waist up. Her eyes traveled hungrily over his rippled abdomen. How did a man of his age, have the body of a man in his 20s? She didn't know nor care, he was oh so perfect. His lower abs extended into that delicious V shape that muscular men tended to have on either side of their hips.

"You are a God." She said truthfully looking up at him from her position on the bed. She got up and made her way to the edge of the bed where he stood and revealed her completely nude form to him. She made her way up to him and took him in her arms as she pressed her breasts against his smooth, bare chest. The skin to skin contact made both of them breath in a sigh of pleasure. She released her embrace and slowly traced both of her hands and fingers all over his upper body. Taking in the feel of his hard chest and abs. She leaned her head in and kissed his chest delicately. "You are so beautiful," she said through her ministrations with her lips.

Lucius was in pure heaven. He never wanted this to stop, but he knew it must. She wasn't ready to go farther, and he knew that. He put his index finger under her chin and lightly raised her head back up to come level with his face and kissed her gently on the lips.

"Time for a real breakfast," he teased her as he drew away. Her playful pout coming back as he moved across the room to one of his wardrobes. He dug around in it for a second before he brought out a long silver, silk robe. He laid it down on the bed before her. She was confused at first before she realized that she really didn't have any other clothes with her, besides her epic dress from last night.

"You are more than welcome to wear this, although I think I would much rather prefer to see you walk around naked throughout my home," he smirked at her raising one of his perfectly shaped eyebrows.

She laughed and thanked him as she took the robe in her hands. The silk was extremely soft, and she knew it would feel delightful against her bare skin. She put on the robe. It was a bit large on her, but she loved that part the most. Lucius adored seeing her in his robe as well. As for Lucius himself, he put on a pair of silken black lounge pants and a matching smoking jacket. He wore nothing underneath the jacket, so that Aria could see most of his delicious chest.

They smiled at each other in complete bliss. Lucius made his way to the door.

"I will make sure my house elves start breakfast," he said looking over at her. He then noticed her dress from last night still on the ground. "You may store your dress here if you'd like. I know it's large and can take up a lot of room. We can store it in the room you loved so much from when you first visited."

"Oh Lucius are you sure? I feel bad leaving it here. It is the most beautiful dress and I'd hate to part with it."

"Well you may visit it any time you'd like," he smirked at her.

"Perhaps then, that is a wise idea," she said smirking back. Any excuse to keep coming back to this dream house and dream man.

"Meet me in the library when you're ready," he said before he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, then walked out of the room. Aria smiled back in return.

She stood up and went over to the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror, noticing her own eyes. She could see the happiness of her soul emanating from them. Her body swathed in his silken silver robe made her giddy. She studied herself for a while as she took everything in. She felt no shyness or shame revealing her body and her soul for him and she knew that was a sign. It was so soon, but she felt as if she knew what she now wanted, and that was Lucius; always and only Lucius. She couldn't imagine a man being more perfect. Was she ready to give herself over completely? She knew the answer deep down was yes, but she would wait…just a little bit longer…

After washing her face wish some floral smelling soap, she wiped the remnants of last night's makeup away. She was a natural beauty and her eyes were still large and bright, her skin smooth and naturally peachy. Again, she felt no shyness at being her true and natural self in front of Lucius. Something she had never felt before with anyone. She made her way to the library and was delighted to see Lucius standing over a small table in front of the large fireplace, pouring them some tea. She saw the table was piled high with breakfast scones and fruits. He smiled at her as she walked in.

"This looks amazing! Thank you so much Lucius," she smiled back as she took the cup of tea he offered her. She took a sip and the warm liquid slid all the way down and warmed her belly.

"My house elves never disappoint. I really have to give the credit all to them," he said sitting down in one of the plush chairs. As they sat and ate their breakfast, they chatted of the prior evening and how much of a success it was for the program and the Ministry. They talked of their common interests and Aria beamed when she spoke of one of her upcoming assignments in Scotland, where she would be working to help preserve a historical castle that desperately needed funding and help. Their conversation was easy and neither felt awkward or uncomfortable. Another sign to Aria, that she could never find a more perfect match. After she was sufficiently filled with fruit and scones, her eyes looked around the room and landed on the harpsicord. She remembered the beautiful song they danced to last night, the one Lucius had written for her.

Lucius noticed her staring, and with a flick of his wand, the harpsicord began playing on its own, as it emanated the melodies of the precious song he had written for her. They sat listening to the song, all the while staring at each other, never breaking their gazes. Lucius noticed tears of happiness brimming near the surface of her eyes; they never spilled over.

"I am so touched you wrote that for me. I am amazed you could compose such a beautiful song so quickly."

"It is easy when I have such an inspiration. Plus, the song just sounds like you. Perfection."

Aria heart soared. She stood up and made her way over to where he sat and boldly sat in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. She said nothing but kissed him deeply. Lucius kissed her back with an equal amount of fervor, noticing how deliciously she tasted of the fruit she had eaten for breakfast. Their kissing got more and more intense, their bodies trying to find any way possible to melt into each other, if that was even possible. Breathing heavily, they eventually parted.

"I should get back home…" Aria breathlessly said as she looked into his eyes and brushed a strand of his platinum hair out of his face.

"Must you though?" He said almost jokingly begging her not to leave. But part of him wanted to have some alone time to take care of Paulo, who he had just remembered was still rotting away in his dungeons. He also wanted to research into his books that he had thought of earlier, to figure out what this phenomenon between the two of them was.

"Yes. I have to get ready for my assignment in Scotland. I leave next weekend. Today the Ministry is sending me all of my travel arrangements."

Aria had been excited to go, but it pained her a bit to leave Lucius. She truly was going crazy, she thought. Her happiness was in this man's hands, and she barely understood how. Both of them stood and made their way down the epic stairs to the front entryway of the grand house. She would apparate back into her apartment, to avoid being at all seen wearing nothing but a silk robe.

"Thank you, Lucius, for everything. Last night and this morning have been nothing short of a dream."

He kissed her passionately and drew back looking into her eyes.

"See you Monday?"

"Yes," she answered as she kissed him quickly back. She turned to leave but then turned back around grabbed his hand one more time and squeezed it and smiled up at him. He smiled softly at her and squeezed her hand back.

She then walked quickly out the large front doors and apparated. Lucius stared at the spot she had just left for a few seconds then turned to go back inside. Perfection was the word he would use to describe his night and morning, and now that she was gone, his home and his heart felt empty again, like they did before she came into his life.

Lucius turned towards the direction of the dungeons. It was time to rid his house of the maggot. He removed the cloaking charm and the door to the dungeon reappeared. He made his way down the steps with purpose. Paulo was still hanging by his arms, but he seemed to be passed out, and he smelled awful, he was still alive though. Lucius slapped him hard, jolting him awake.

"LET ME GO!" Paulo screamed immediately at Lucius.

"I will, you filth. But not before I erase your memory. You will have no memory of ever coming here or meeting Aria. You will be a nobody and you will be alone."

"No! Please don't!" begged Paulo.

"Begging. How ironic," Lucius smirked down at the young man. "Wasn't Aria herself begging you to stop that night. And did you listen to her pleas…no!" He yelled again and slapped Paulo hard again.

"Why do you even care what happens to that BITCH?!" spat Paulo. "You are a known dark wizard! You don't care about anyone but yourself!"

Lucius had changed a lot so very quickly since his time with Aria over the past few weeks, and those changes were now deeply engrained in his heart. He didn't feel the need to explain himself to this pathetic form of a man. But his dark rage which he still possessed broke free from him.

"The last thing you will know before your memory is erased is pain! CRUCIO" screamed Lucius as he reveled in watching the young man writhe in pain. After a short few seconds Lucius stopped the curse. Paulo had passed out again, but Lucius slapped him awake. He needed him to be awake for the memory charm. When Paulo opened his eyes blearily, the last thing he would see would be Lucius' mouth saying, "Obliviate."

Lucius apparated both of them to the desolate and rugged coastline of Cornwall. He left Paulo there, confused and alone and cold on the beach. He knew someone would eventually come across him and help, but Paulo's memory was now altered, and he was about as useful as a potato. Lucius felt no remorse. Not when this man had hurt Aria. He realized he would now do anything for the young woman and altogether, he was glad to have the man finally out of his life, so he could now focus on himself and Aria, and them alone.

The second Lucius got back to his home, he showered and dressed in casual yet elegant black robes. He made his way back to the library. He adored how he could still faintly smell Aria's sweet scent throughout the room. He smiled to himself at the memory of this morning. He made his way over to the part of the library he had never sought out, where all of the ancient books on love spells, potions, and related texts were. A heavy coating of dust covered that section of the shelf. He pulled a few books out that he thought might provide him answers. Unfortunately, most of the books that he could find were dark magic love spells and potions. The Malfoy's of course would have such books, you wouldn't be able to find these dangerous texts in any common Wizarding library. Many of these spells and potions were similar to the Imperious Curse, which caused its victim to act unwillingly and through force. Lucius was slightly disgusted that he even possessed these books. The spells and curses in here were almost rape-like in what they did, forcing its victim into love and sexual acts by means of force and coercion.

One of the last books he came upon however, was an extremely ancient text. It must have been even before the muggle years of B.C. (before Christ). _Anima Prophetiae_ , Soul Prophecies, was the title of the book. It was bound in dark blue leather and was coated with dust. Lucius opened it with trembling hands. The book was in Latin, just as its title but Lucius was well educated and could easily decipherer the words. The book was separated into sections such as prophecies on birth, death, war, and love. Love was the one he was looking for and he turned to the section on love prophecies. As he turned to that section, the Latin words seemed to glow at him, as if alive, wanting to be read and known. He lightly traced his finger over the words, and they began to move and shift. Lucius' breath caught. The book was trying to show him something. With a steadying breath, reached out his right hand and fully placed it on the page. The words glowed brighter and brighter and shifted until they no longer formed words, they formed an ancient image, that looked like it came straight from an alchemy text.

Lucius stared in wonder at the image because he instantly knew it was about him and Aria. Entwined together were two people, a male and female, naked and bare, as their limbs and hands intertwined. Their hair, both as light blond as both of their own, flowed together to make a sea of lightness. Emanating from the man's chest shone a shining silver crescent moon and coming from the woman's breast shone a glowing, golden sun. The silver and gold melded together in the middle between the two lovers. The sun and moon reminded Lucius of their costumes from the ball the night before. A sure sign of the prophecy wanting to be known.

Ancient text formed a circle around the heavenly image:

_vir et mulier  
amor primo aspectu  
est vinculum eorum in perpetuum  
nexum illorum perceptiones et mutare  
Tenebris lucem puritatem munditiae fiet_

Lucius read it out loud, as he translated it to English:

_man and woman_

_love at first sight_

_their bond is forever_

_their connection will change perceptions_

_Dark purity will become light purity_

Lucius removed his hand and the image and text disappeared. He slumped to the floor, his mind racing. So, what was between him and Aria _was_ special. The text had felt him and had given him his prophecy. It was a special bond they had; they were true soul mates. The text had told him so: "love at first sight…. their bond is forever…" He couldn't quite understand the last part. "Dark purity becomes light purity?" He knew he was the dark and she was the light, and yet he could already feel himself changing. Changing his perceptions of what "pureness" meant. Lucius raked his hand through his platinum hair, as he finally realized the truth being revealed to him.

Yes, Aria would change him from darkness into light. His notions of what purity meant would change…if he didn't resist that is. Prophecies weren't all together set in stone. Did he want to resist? He wasn't quite so sure just yet. All he knew was that he had been destined to meet Aria, and their connection and bond had been prophesied through the ages. He couldn't believe it. Lucius had always felt so alone in the world, even when he was surrounded by people. But to realize there had always been that one person he was destined to be with, made him instantly feel comforted. He was never destined to be alone. His heart at that moment, shed tons of weight it had been carrying with him throughout his life.

* * *

That week at work seemed to go by in a flash. Aria prepared for her trip. Every day of the week she was being briefed on the history of the castle she was to go to. Her job was to raise awareness and funds for the historical Wizarding society to help preserve the landmark. As an ambassador, it was her job to represent a place of such importance with integrity and knowledge. And she couldn't wait to start her first real assignment.

Each day towards the end of the afternoon, she would make her way to Lucius' office to sneak in some kisses and sometimes to talk of her day and ask him about his. Lucius was ever the gentleman and never pressured her to do anything more, in fact, he seemed even more reserved than he had been before. Lucius hadn't told her about the book yet. He wanted to show her, he would invite her back to his Manor that Friday, the night before she left for her work trip to Scotland.

It was that Thursday, and Aria and Lucius were together locked up in his office. She sat on his wooden work desk, as he stood between her legs, his head bent down, kissing her heavily. Her little moans of pleasure were driving him insane, in the best way possible.

"Aria, will you come over to the Manor tomorrow? I have something to show you," he said, coming up for air from their kissing.

Intrigued, Aria instantly agreed.

"Yes of course." She smiled and instantly went back to kissing him…

That Friday she apparated to the front of the grand house, she didn't even knock. He was already there at the door. He looked dashing in his typical formal clothing of tight-fitting black pants, a crisp white shirt over which he had on a gorgeous black waistcoat. His long platinum hair shined in the evening dusky light.

Aria had on a simple black shirt dress which ended a little short, on her mid-thigh. Her shapely legs were on full view and she could tell Lucius appreciated the sight in front of him. She had wanted to look nice as usual for him and she had put on some mascara and some blush, her blond hair fell into perfect beachy waves down her back.

He reached out his hand to hers, drawing her into the house. He then leaned in and kissed her romantically. They both moaned in pleasure enjoying each other's presence once more.

"I have to show you something in the library…it's a revelation of sorts…" he said.

Aria cocked her head to the side in curiosity and confusion.

"Show me," she said. Not yet realizing her life was about to change forever.


	6. Chapter 6- Sun and Moon Combine

Please enjoy and review! I love hearing thoughts! Also don't forget to check out the Pinterest page I made to go along with each chapter of this story! Also don't forget I own nothing and make no money off of these stories!

* * *

As Lucius led Aria up the grand staircase towards the library, the sun was setting outside casting an ethereal golden glow through the large windows of the Manor. The ethereal light seemed to reflect off Lucius' platinum hair, and it shined as if illuminated from within. Aria giggled to herself, as she looked at the man before her, even his hair was magic, she thought amusingly to herself. Lucius looked back at her with a raised eyebrow, wondering what was so amusing. Aria just smiled sweetly at him and a soft smile appeared on his lips in return.

When they got to the library, Aria noticed an ancient old blue book on the table by the fire. A feeling in her knew that is what Lucius had brought her here to see; she could almost sense the strong magic emanating off of the book.

"I am not sure how it is where you come from," Lucius began, "but in our Wizarding World here in Britain, we take great stock in prophesies. They are very respected and rare forms of magical information here in our world."

"They are important to us too Lucius. I think in any wizarding culture, prophesies should never be taken for granted."

"Yes," he said softly in agreement. "This book is about prophecies of the soul. I never even knew I had this book, as it was in a section of my family's library I rarely, if not ever, ventured over to."

Aria ran her hand over the ancient leather covering of the book.

"I can almost feel the magic through my fingertips," she softly exhaled in wonder as she touched it. Her green eyes glancing from the book, up to Lucius' fierce grey eyes.

Lucius put his hand over hers, and she delighted in the feel of his warm touch; so comforting and assuring. Lucius' brow furrowed. He worried she would think him crazy or ridiculous to assume that what he saw in the book was the two of them, but at the same time he knew she felt the connection between them as strongly as he did. Without saying a word and taking in a deep breath, Lucius removed their hands from the cover of the book and opened it up to the page he had seen before, with the letters that almost seemed to glow up at him from the page.

Aria's green eyes were open in wonder, seeing such an ancient piece of wizarding history before her, but then her eyes opened even wider. The words on the page seemed to be glowing up at her.

"Lucius, do you see that? The words…they're glowing!"

Lucius' breath caught in his throat. She saw it too! He was relieved and excited all at once. His heart skipped a few beats. Still not uttering a word, he took her hand again in his. She looked up at him as he starred intensely back into her gaze. He gently placed their two intertwined hands upon the page, and said in the softest of voices, almost in a whisper, "Look at the page…"

Aria looked back down at the page and her eyes stopped blinking; her breath stopped as well. The words swirled and glowed and moved around and around on the page until they were no longer words anymore but an image. She saw the same image that Lucius had seen from before of the man and woman, locked in a lovers embrace, his moon and her sun coming together; their blond hair each intertwining with the other's. She knew instantly that it was them. She wasn't sure why, but tears began to form and a few spilled over. It was not only the beauty of the image, but what it meant. If this truly was a book of prophesies, then they _were_ destined for each other. That is why their connection was so instant and intense. She had always felt as if she had known this man for years, not weeks, and now she knew why. Their souls had known each other for centuries. Waiting for the other. She thought she had come to the UK for her new job and to pursue something only for herself; but now she knew that it had been destiny to find Lucius; to find her soulmate. She had always been on this path and her life no longer was just about her, but the two of them.

"It's us Lucius," she said through happy tears as she looked up at him.

Lucius reached out and wiped her tears gently off her cheek. He pulled her in close and held her, his right hand clutching the back of her neck through her soft blond hair and his other hand wrapped tightly around her waist.

"I was worried you'd think that I was insane. That it was just a coincidence," he breathed out with a sigh of relief.

"No. It is definitely us. I knew from the first moment I spoke to you, that first day at the Ministry, that there was a reason that we were put together, and then when I got to know you more, our connection was so intense…this has to be why. This is us. Do you believe that we were destined to find each other?"

He looked down at her then, considering her words.

"Yes I do. My whole life up until this point has been darkness and the pursuit of darkness. Part of me wonders…if I had seen this prophecy years ago, when I was a young man perhaps, if maybe I would have taken a different path. Maybe I would have waited until I found you. Not married my ex-wife all of those years ago…not have followed the Dark Lord…" he trailed off in thought, clearly with regrets about what his life was like before he knew her.

"No Lucius. Don't regret. Everything you did, everything you went through, it was to bring you to this moment. Plus, with your wife, you had your son. That surely is something you don't regret."

Lucius looked down at the young woman. How could she be so understanding and selfless? She didn't even know his son, but yet she knew that he would never regret Draco, even if they hadn't been close for a while now. She was right. He couldn't find the words at the moment, so he simply leaned down to kiss her. Their kiss seemed to be electrified, with the revelation that the book had shown them.

As Lucius kissed her, Aria realized what she finally wanted, and that was Lucius. All of him. And she wanted to give all of herself to him. She knew that although she had known this man for a short amount of time, she knew this was the moment. The moment she would finally give herself fully over to someone. This perfect moment would never present itself ever again, and the book had revealed that her soulmate was the man standing right in front of her. She didn't want to wait anymore. She wanted this moment to be sealed completely and absolutely.

She pulled away from the kiss and she looked up at Lucius with the upmost certainty, he stared into her soul with his grey gaze.

"Lucius…" her voice shook "I want you. I want us to be complete…"

He understood her meaning although he couldn't quite believe his ears. Was she truly asking him to take her virginity? Did he deserve such a thing?

"This is what you truly want?"

"I've wanted it to be with the right person and now I realize it's been you who I have been waiting for. Don't you see? You are my soul mate Lucius."

His brow furrowed almost in agony, if only because his heart was so full, he couldn't quite contain his emotions. Something he was not used to whatsoever. But he couldn't resist her any longer. He knew it was the right moment as well. With that, he scooped the gorgeous woman before him up into his arms. All the while the two didn't break their gaze, almost as if not wanting to blink in case the other should disappear.

He carried her to his bedroom placed her down in front of the large bed. With a flick of his wand, his grand fireplace sprang to life and the calming noise of a crackling fire filled the room. The sun had finally gone down, but the light of the sky was still a dusky blue. With the light of the fire and the dusky evening sky, the mood of the room was simply electric. Aria slowly removed her shoes and pulled her light dress over her head. She then slowly unclasped her black lacy bra and pulled down her matching lace panties. He had seen her naked already, but his eyes danced over her in awe of her perfect beauty. She saw his Adams apple bob slightly as he swallowed hard at the sight of her. He instantly hardened with anticipation.

She walked up to him and just as slowly, unbuttoned his waist coat and threw it to the side. Looking up into his eyes, she then began removing the buttons of his shirt and pulled that off of him as well. She pressed against him so that her supple breasts could be felt against his smooth hard chest. Lucius held her tight, moving his hands up and down her back gently as they held each other in the embrace. He then bent his head down and grabbed one of her breasts in one of his hands and lightly started sucking. His mouth was fully around her nipple, but his tongue started darting back and forth over the hard nub of it, causing her to shudder in delight. As he gave her pleasure with his mouth, his other hand came up and squeezed and massaged her other breast, making sure it wasn't neglected. After a while he moved his mouth to the other breast and repeated his sublime technique with his tongue and switched his hand to the other breast and massaged. Aria moaned in pleasure and reached her hands to the buttons of his pants. This was it.

Lucius stopped his ministrations of her gorgeous chest, and stood up to his full height again, as he allowed her to unbutton his pants. He looked down at her with such a fierce intensity, she was sure she saw his eyes spark, like a flame. She slowly pulled down the trousers and stared in awe in what was revealed to her. It took her breath away.

He wore no underwear and his cock sprung out of his pants, like it had been dying to be released. It was the most perfect cock she had ever seen. It must had been over 8 inches and it was solid and smooth as a rock. The skin of him was pale and luminescent, just like the moon, and at the tip of his glorious member a drop of precum glistened in the light of the fire. Aria's breathing was rapid, and her pussy ached at the sight of the gorgeous Adonis of a man before her. She stood back to take him all in.

"You are so beautiful. You aren't real…" she said almost in a whisper.

He closed the gap between them and held her body close to his. It felt so good to press their bare skin against one another's. Aria instinctively moaned and ground her hips against the spot where their genitals met, and she felt his cock twitch with anticipation as a small groan escaped his lips. He scooped her up again, like he had done before down in the library, and this time laid her gently down on the bed. He loomed above her looking down at her with a sense of wonder, but then he snaked his way down her body so that his face was aligned with her wet and ready pussy.

"I want to taste you. To make you come first…" he said looking up at her from between her legs.

Aria was about to protest, wanting to make love to him now and not wait, but before she could say anything his mouth and tongue had found their way to her clit and the wet, soft heat of his mouth clouded her thoughts. His skill with his tongue and mouth only made her anticipation for his cock all the more intense, and she felt as if she would explode in his mouth at any moment. His grey eyes occasionally would look up at her as he licked and sucked and loved her, and her green eyes would meet his with a furrow in her brow, indicating her pleasure. She knew he loved seeing her reactions to what he was doing and that only turned her on more.

Lucius grew harder and harder as he went down on her hungrily. He knew if he made her come first, then her first time with him fully inside of her wouldn't be as painful. Plus, he loved the sweet taste of her, and he adored watching her reactions as he gave her pleasure with his mouth. Her sweet, full mouth would open wide as she moaned and her brow furrowed in the most attractive way; she almost looked as if she was in pain, but he knew it was her intense pleasure. He found a rhythm that began to drive her over the edge, and he knew he mustn't stop his tongue now. With a few final flicks of his tongue and a few more sucks, Lucius looked up at Aria at the most perfect moment of the beginning of her orgasm. Her back arched up and she instinctually grabbed his hair in her hands as she pushed his mouth harder against her swollen folds and clit.

"Lucius, I'm coming! Oh my God it feels so good! Lucius!" she screamed into the room.

He let her slowly come down from her orgasm, as he made his way back up her body, kissing her all the way from her pussy, to her bellybutton, to each breast and finally back up to her lips. She slowly opened her eyes and looked into his with so much adoration and gratitude.

"I need it to be now Lucius. I need all of you…" she said as she caressed his hard chest, which was above her, his muscles bracing themselves as he supported his upper body over her.

He swallowed hard and looked deep into her eyes in acknowledgement of what was about to happen.

"This might hurt…I'm not sure I'll be able to stop once I start…" he admitted to her.

She nodded slightly but reached out her hand to bring him close to her lips and kissed him. The most passionate and complete kiss he ever received from her.

With their lips still joined, she then felt the tip of the head of his cock at her entrance. She was already so wet from her orgasm and he, himself, had been dripping in anticipation. Both of them hissed in a sharp breath of excitement. She felt him slowly going into her, inch by inch. He moaned a sound of absolute completeness and pleasure. Her pussy was the tightest, most velvet he had ever known, and he felt as if he could come himself right then and there.

For Aria it had felt actually good at first, but as he went deeper and came upon her barrier, her body froze. Lucius felt the barrier too. He had been in such bliss he almost missed it, but he felt her tense under him and then felt where he was inside of her. With one final look into her eyes, one of comfort and gentleness, he plunged forward, deeper inside of her. Aria breathed in a sharp breath as she momentarily felt the sting of her virginity being lost. But then after that one quick instant, she felt an utter sense of absolute completion. The feeling of this man inside of her was all she had ever wanted.

Lucius had stopped moving after that first initial plunge forward. He let her adjust to him. Even being still inside of her sweet warm pussy gave him the most pleasure he had ever felt from a woman. But then he heard her whisper in his ear, "Move. Move for me Lucius." He would not deny her. He began moving ever so slowly. Her tightness gripped him like nothing he had ever felt before and another guttural moan of pleasure fell from his lips. With each thrust of his hips, Aria felt more and more pleasure. She then wondered how she had survived so long without this man inside of her, making her feel such a sense of completeness she had never known before. The sting of his initial plunge had long gone and replaced it with a sense of bliss she had never known before. She could feel every large inch of him.

"Lucius it feels so good. I never knew it could be like this. You are perfect."

He was still moving slowly within her, reveling in her feel. His eyes were closed as he was concentrating on not losing himself all together. He was Lucius Malfoy, and he wouldn't let himself lose control. He would not be quick about something as perfect as this.

He opened his eyes and looked down at the woman below him.

"You are the most sublime goddess. I never knew it could be like this either…" he said truthfully. Throughout his lifetime as a sexually potent man, whom women flocked to, none of them had even compared to Aria. If he was also being honest with himself, it gave him a rush of pride and excitement that he was the only man she had ever felt inside of her before. If it were up to him, that would never change. She was pure, and only for him.

As he moved within her, he began picking up his pace. His cock sliding in and out of her, both of them moaning in absolute bliss. Lucius braced his arms to raise himself a bit higher up so that he could reach one of his hands down between them to come up and start rubbing on her swollen clit. Aria gasped in a breath at the sudden added sensation. With the feeling of his huge cock rubbing deep up inside of her and his nimble thumb working dexterously over her clit, she felt another orgasm start to bubble up. She never knew she would be able to come from actual penetration, and the feeling was entirely new.

"Lucius, please don't stop…I think you are going to make me come again…" she said, her cheeks flushing a beautiful rosy red.

Lucius took in her flushed cheeks and the way her body was beginning to shudder around his rigid cock. He loved feeling her begin to clench around him, like the beginnings of an earthquake.

"Yes, my beautiful girl, come for me. Come around my cock. I need you to come on me and for me. You are so incredibly beautiful," Lucius said looking down into her green eyes, his platinum hair falling over around them like a beautiful fan of silk.

With a few more rubs with his thumb on her clit and thrusts of his cock inside of her, Aria's eyes opened wide looking directly into his piercing grey ones above her, her hands came up to cling to his back, digging her nails in slightly. Her mouth opened, and she moaned aloud in complete ecstasy as her orgasm hit her, and hit her hard. It was a different type of orgasm than she had ever felt before. It was deeper inside and more primal. The sensation of being filled with such a magnificent cock such as his, gave her pussy something to cling to and pulsate on, as it rode out its bliss. Her words fell out of her uncontrollably as she came hard over his cock.

"Oh my god, Lucius, it's so good. You're so good…I never knew…I…I love you…" she screamed into the room.

As Aria's orgasm hit her hard, Lucius could feel her insides begin to pulsate all around him. He stopped thrusting, wanting to feel each pulse of her inside walls. It was heaven, he had never felt an orgasm so strong or reassuring. Her pussy was so tight, even if he had moved, he felt as if he wouldn't be able to because her walls were clinging to him so beyond anything he had ever known before. He was beginning to lose his senses and his mind was going fuzzy, but he heard those three words escape her lips in the middle of her complete orgasmic bliss and that sent him over the edge. With one more deep thrust into her, he spilled himself deep into her. His seed shooting into her with strong spurts of pleasure and bliss. With each spurt, a guttural noise, almost animalistic, escaped his lips, all the while their gazes never left each other's through both of their intense orgasms.

Lucius was almost frozen in place for quite a while after both of them came down from their orgasms. He placed gentle kisses all over her face, as he stayed deep inside of her. After a while, he rolled over to his side, still inside of her, and faced her as she lay to her side facing him. With their entangled limbs and their wild blond hair fanning out above them, they looked exactly like the alchemical image in the Soul Prophecies book.

Lucius reached out his hand and brushed it on the side of her flushed cheek.

"Did you mean it?"

She didn't have to ask what he meant by it. She knew.

"Yes." She answered truthfully. She loved him, and after this night she knew she could never live without him.

He stared at her unblinkingly, his grey eyes intense and full of unspoken emotion. She began to worry that she said too much, or that he might not feel the same way yet.

"I'm sorry, I know it's so fast and I am so young, you might not feel the s-"

Lucius cut her off by putting his finger over her lips.

"Don't ever apologize for that Aria," he said intensely. "Ever since you came into my life you have literally been the sun and you have put light into my black heart. You are the light that shines in my darkest nights…" He said moving his finger down from her lip, dragging her full lower lip with it seductively. He moved his finger back to tracing her soft cheek. "I love you."

Aria let out the breath she had unknowingly been holding. A wave of happiness flowed throughout her body. If she could literally glow with happiness, she would be the brightest light in the world at that moment. Without saying anything more, she cuddled closer into him, laying her head against his chest, breathing in his fresh and manly scent. Although he had gone soft, he was still deeply nestled inside of her, his cock was large enough to not have fallen out, which she loved.

Together, the sun and moon floated off into their own perfect heaven of dreams, as the fire in the fireplace crackled dimly and the shining white moon shone its ethereal light over the entwined bodies of the lovers.


	7. Chapter 7- Lumos Interius

**Please review! For any Outlander fans I hope you enjoyed these Easter Eggs :). Check out my pinterest page to see photos that go along with this chapter!**

**https://www.pinterest.com/VersaillesPixie/soulmates-at-first-sight-ch-7-lumos-interius/**

* * *

Throughout the night Aria and Lucius slept in each other's' embrace. Two times during the night Aria awoke from her dreams and looked at the man lying next to her. She felt at complete peace. Almost as if he could sense her becoming awake, Lucius would open his grey eyes, which shined bright in the moonlight and would look deep into her soul and enter her body once more. Each time, he was exceedingly gentle, so as not to make her more sore, even though she was wet and ready for him both times. The two lovers remained on their sides so they could look into each other's eyes, and he would drape her left leg up and over his hip and enter her. With each thrust into her, she couldn't quite tell if she was still dreaming or if this really was reality. Her eyes were glazed with wonder as she stared into his, and little mewls of delight escaped her lips, as she would sometimes whisper softly his name; "Lucius."

Both times she would shudder strongly against his hardness as she came blissfully. These times her orgasms were so internally deep, she remained quiet as she came, her heavy breathing the only sound in the quiet dark room with the moonlight shining through the window. It was so intimate that Lucius always found himself coming right after hers, as she still shuddered all around him, although loud moans of pleasure did escape his lips during his release. Both times he remained inside of her. It was almost as if it would physically harm them to be separated, and so they remained as one throughout most of the night.

As the morning light replaced the moonlight and spread its rays across the two lovers in bed, Aria awoke out of her dreamland and stared again at the man next to her. In the morning light his pale skin and hair almost shimmered. He looked so ethereal. He also looked so innocent and young in his sleep. She could stare at him forever, and never grow tired of the sight.

Sensing that he was being watched, Lucius instinctively opened his eyes and saw a pair of bright green ones staring back at him. He smirked over at her, with the most sensuous of gaze.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Good morning, my love" he replied.

Aria's heart soared and she cuddled in closer to his chest, planting soft kisses on the smooth flesh of his muscular chest. His strong arms wrapped around her protectively she loved the way he was so warm and comforting.

"I suddenly no longer want to go on my work trip…" she laughed, but at the same time meant it.

"So don't then," he drawled back.

"Maybe you could come with me…" she half teased.

"Maybe I will apparate to you, when you least expect it," he hinted, giving her a thrill of excitement.

They laid together for what seemed like hours, soaking up the feeling of pure love around them, when at last Aria's stomach grumbled and it reminded her that she needed to get back to reality.

"How can I ever leave this bed Lucius? I can't!" she laughed as she snuggled her head deeper into his chest.

"I can have breakfast prepared for us if you would like, or I am perfectly content to have breakfast here in bed…" his voice as smooth as honey whispered in her ear as his right hand reached down and stroked one of his long fingers along her wet folds and up and around her clit. An involuntary moan escaped her lips and she shuddered at the touch.

"You aren't helping!" She laughed again into his chest.

He continued fingering her relentlessly. His one finger was enough to set her body alight. He would occasionally dip it into her folds bringing back with it wetness from inside of her, to circle it magnificently around her already sensitive clit. He clenched his jaw in concentration as he worked her body like his fingers had been made for that one task alone, and nothing else. Her face was still buried in his chest and she moaned loudly on it.

"Oh my god Lucius. Don't stop. Don't ever stop."

"Never," he responded.

As her pleasure continued, Aria reached down under the blankets and found his cock, hard and dripping with precum. He had been clearly extremely aroused by fingering her. She wrapped her hand around the thick shaft and began pumping. Lucius groaned loudly in pleasure at the touch of her warm, delicate hand.

As she pumped his cock, he continued to pleasure her with his finger, and he eventually added a second finger up inside her. She gasped awe of the feeling of the added girth inside of her and she felt the beginnings of her brewing orgasm. Lucius felt himself getting harder and harder at her touch. She would sometimes move one of her fingers up to the tip of his cock to slide his precum down his shaft to better lubricate the motions of her hand against him; he loved her technique, especially that part. His breathing became more and more ragged and fast; he was close now and he knew she was as well. Aria moved her head slightly upwards so that she rest her forehead against his own. With a few final pumps of his cock and circles around her clit, they both came hard on each other's hands. For a while they said nothing as their heads still rested pressed together and their breathing went from rapid back to normal. Finally, Lucius pulled his head back and looked into her eyes, with such a fierce passion.

"You are the best lover I have ever known. Further proving my theory you are not merely a witch…but more of a goddess."

"And you are the God I worship," she said smiling brightly back up at him.

After a few minutes Aria realized that she needed to start heading back to her flat to gather her luggage so she could go on her trip. With a sigh Aria started to slowly remove herself from Lucius' perfect embrace.

"I have to start heading out…" she said sadly

"Hmmmmm…" he groaned in response, as he held onto her more tightly.

"A wizard, so amazing as yourself, should know how to apparate great distances right?" she said as she giggled at his unwillingness to let her go.

"I suppose. I am a great wizard after all…" he said with a smirk as he let her go.

She slipped out of bed, instantly hating the loss of his warmth and embrace. She muttered a cleaning charm over herself to cleanse herself decently enough and slipped on her thin dress from the night before and she put on her shoes and gathered her things.

Lucius had made his way out of bed and used a cleaning charm on himself as well but made no effort to put back on any of his clothes from the night before.

"Are you sure I can't interest you in staying for a real breakfast?" he asked as he took her into his arms once again, as they stood in the middle of the room together.

"I'd love that more than anything my love, but I really do have to get going. I probably have only about an hour before I am expected to check into my room all the way in Edinburgh!"

"I understand," he said, admitting defeat. He reached his index finger under her chin and moved her lips up to his and kissed her gently and warmly. "Until later then…"

"I love you, Lucius," Aria said as she reached up and cupped the side of his face in her hand. "Thank you for making my first time so beyond anything I could have hoped for. I don't think I will fully be able to comprehend it for a while…" she smiled warmly at him and reached back up to kiss him one last time. "I'll be staying at Gallagher Bed and Breakfast by the way…" she smirked at him.

She let him go and walked a few steps back and all of a sudden, she apparated and was gone. Lucius stared at the spot she apparated from, thinking to himself. He wondered how he could make their next night together even more special. A smirk slowly appeared on his handsome lips as a perfect idea struck him. Oh yes, their next night together would be even more special indeed.

* * *

Aria quickly moved around her flat. Luckily, she had already packed her bags for her stay, but she quickly needed to eat something. She opted for a quick protein bar and one of those premade breakfast smoothies they sold in bottles. Although she had used a cleansing charm earlier, she wanted to properly shower, although she hated the thought of wiping any scent of Lucius off of her body. She showered and dressed. She opted to wear something warmer and put on a pair of extremely comfortable black tights that were flannel lined inside and she put on a black turtleneck sweater which she wore under a form-fitting grey peacoat. She felt super chic and comfortable. She was ready. She grabbed her two bags and walked over to her fireplace, grabbed a handful of floo powder, and said clearly, "Gallagher Bed and Breakfast," and was off.

She arrived in a very cozy little bed and breakfast. The Ministry had booked her travel arrangements for her, so she knew that this place was run by wizards. The plump witch behind the front desk greeted her warmly.

"Hello there, I'm Mrs. Ferguson! Will ye be the lass they sent from the Ministry in London then?"

"Hello! Yes, I am!"

"Welcome my dear. You will be in room 2, just up the stairs. The best room, it has a verra stunning view of the Edinburgh castle. You will just love it! Breakfast is served every morning from 6-10," said the witch as she shuffled over to help her with her bags.

"Wow really? Thanks so much Mrs. Ferguson."

"Now wait a minute. You're not from London! Why, ye are an American lass!"

"Yes I am," laughed Aria. "I went to school at Solemmari, in California. But I accepted a job at the Ministry in London as one of their new ambassadors. I am here on my first business trip. I am trying to raise awareness on the need for preservation of Midhope Castle, actually!"

"I see! How verra lovely, oh how I would love to go to sunny California!" Mrs. Ferguson said closing her eyes as if imagining herself on the beach at that moment. "Och aye, and Midhope Castle is a wonderful place! I've been there once myself."

"The castle is so popular now because of that muggle television show, but someone needs to help educate people on its real history," said Aria. "Did you know that the castle used to be owned by noble wizards through the generations? It desperately needs help being preserved."

"Och aye, of course"

"Well thank you so much Mrs. Ferguson for the warm welcome!" Aria smiled her sweet smile and made her way upstairs with one of her bags. Mrs. Ferguson said she would apparate the other bag upstairs in an effort to help. Aria settled into her room. It was a beautiful room with a large bed and lovely 19th century looking, wooden furniture. The curtains to the window were a deep red to match the comforter on the bed, and the view took Aria's breath away. She was able to see up the large rocky hill up to the impressive Edinburgh Castle.

Lucius didn't come to her that night and it was such a stark difference to her previous night. She didn't like it. The next day she explored Edinburgh and the busy Royal Mile and Grassmarket shops. She bought a few warmer outfits to really help develop her wardrobe to include warmer things. Although she didn't mind her solitude, and Mrs. Ferguson was plenty company enough at the Bed and Breakfast, she desperately missed Lucius. She realized that besides an owl, she didn't have any other way of contacting him, which distressed her. She was more distressed when he didn't come that night either.

The next day was her first official day on the job. She would be making her way to the outskirts of Edinburgh to Midhope Castle. When she arrived, she saw that a lot of tourists in large buses had arrived who were fans of the television show which made the structure so famous in their world. She felt slightly bad for them, since she knew the property was going to be closed today to the public so she could meet with her fellow witches and wizards to discuss preservation.

She had apparated a bit of a walk away from the castle, to ensure her secrecy, but she loved walking in the crisp Scottish air, breathing in all of the fresh scents. As she approached the centuries old castle, she got the feeling she always got when she was in the presence of such history, her skin tingled in the most exhilarating of ways. The 16th century castle, was not a typically large castle, more of an extremely impressive Manor, but it exuded an air of being something special. Although the outside looked fairly preserved, she knew she would be mostly talking to the people there about the inside of the structure, which was quite derelict and neglected. After all, it used to be home to a great many notable wizards up until the end of the 19th century and the history of magical occurrences in this place was not one to be neglected.

The meetings of the day seemed to go well as Aria introduced herself to many important members of the British wizarding society. She was also surprised to see the First Minister of Scotland, who was the muggle leader of the Scottish Government. She realized she must be one of the select few prominent muggles who knew of the wizarding world. She knew it was the same for the Prime Minister of England and the President of the United States as well.

Aria felt that she did a good job explaining to the witches and wizards why historical landmarks such as Midhope needed the funding to help be preserved. A few of the wizards asked why a witch from America would care so much about history from another country, but Aria's quick wit and charming personality quickly dissuaded any doubts.

"Yes, I am from America, but that doesn't mean I don't care about all history, from around the world, especially Europe. It has been a particular interest of mine for years now, and I want to be a part of preserving such amazing stories of the past, so future people can learn and be inspired like I have. I want to be an ambassador and a representative for Britain's rich history, and it is something I deeply care about, it's why I took this job in the first place" she smiled at the crowd as she made her speech.

She was met with happy smiles from her fellow witches and wizards and a friendly round of applause. She flushed slightly but felt good about the situation. After a long day of public speaking and meeting lots of important people, Aria was exhausted, and also a little depressed. Out of all of the witches and wizards she was surrounded by today, she only wanted one, and she didn't know where he was or what he was up to. She needed to see Lucius again. Without him it felt like all of her happiness and light had started to fade. As she made her way back to the Bed and Breakfast, she hardly ate any dinner and she slowly made her way upstairs. When she opened the door, she was greeted by the most amazing sight she had seen in days. There was Lucius, sitting in one of the plush chairs by the window, overlooking Edinburgh Castle. His elegant form was dressed in his iconic black robes and he looked like a king.

"Lucius!" She happily smiled as she strode over to him quickly and instantly crawled into his lap and kissed his soft and ready lips. "God, I have been so depressed without you," she said as she nuzzled into his neck, breathing in his delicious scent that always reminded her of spearmint and musk.

"I missed you," he smirked. "But I didn't want to distract you. It seems as if you have charmed everyone already."

"How did you know?" she asked.

"You should realize how fast word travels in the British wizarding community," he chuckled, half amused and half annoyed by that fact it seemed.

"Do you think they know about us then?" she asked.

"I'm not sure…perhaps some whisperings, since we were seen dancing at the ball together and I am your mentor after all…" mused Lucius. She was glad to see he didn't seem too bothered by it.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked him sweetly as her eyes darted quickly to the bed and back to him.

"I will my love," he said as he caressed her cheek with his black leather gloved hand. "But not here. I have other plans for us tonight," his grey eyes sparkled. With giving her no time to react or make guesses, he put his arms under her legs and around her waist and scooped her up as he stood, and then suddenly apparated.

Lucius was remarkably steady on his feet during apparition, and he landed them safely overlooking a stunning view of a lake, or a Loch, as they would call it in Scotland. She could tell she was more North than where they just had been in Edinburgh, as the air here was much colder, but even more crisp and fresh, which she didn't think could be possible. And while there had been tons of history in Edinburgh dating back centuries, she felt something in the air here was absolutely ancient, dating back millennia, it made her skin tingle all over with gooseflesh.

He placed her down on her feet and held her close against his body as he wrapped them up together in his black robes, which she noted were thick and warm woolen robes.

"Where are we?" She said in wonder as she looked out over the Loch.

"We are on the Isle of Lewis, this is Loch Roag," he said, taking her hand in his and leading her a little way down the sandy bank, where she saw a tiny white tent set up. They reached the tent and Lucius stopped in front of it and looked down at her and smiled.

"Look inside," he encouraged her, the warm smile still playing on his lips.

With a curious gaze back, as she thought they possibly both couldn't fit in the small tent, she poked her head inside and her breath stopped at what she saw. It was as if she entered another world and into a fairytale. Inside was much, much bigger than she could ever have imagined a tent to be. It was more like a decadent apartment. On the left side of the room was a gorgeous four-poster bed with an ornate emerald green velvet comforter. The wood was so dark it was almost black, and velvet green drapes hung from every corner of the bed. To the right side of the room, it looked as if she had entered a pleasure palace, as scattered all over the floor were plush pillows, all in assorted shades of green.

Decadent gold and silver rugs and white furs were thrown around the floor amongst the pillows and above the nest was a beautiful Moroccan style chandelier which glowed a mesmerizing emerald green adding to the overall green ambience of the room. Towards the back of the tent was a small kitchen with a small yet fancy bar set-up with copious amounts of varied spirits and crystal drinking glasses. Upon further inspection of the glorious tent, Aria saw down a small hallway the entrance to a stunning bathroom. In the middle sat a huge sunken bathtub, almost as if it was built into the floor of the tent and over the tub a stunning crystal chandelier bathed the room in a soft glowing light.

Lucius had quietly followed her into the tent and his light touch on the small of her back almost startled her as she was awoken from her trance at the sight of the exquisite tent.

"Do you like it?" he asked breathily in her ear as he stood, tall and firm behind her.

"Yes, I absolutely love it. You never cease to amaze me."

Lucius said nothing but his cocky smirk played across his lips. He was extremely satisfied that she was impressed. Truth be told, he was used to the tent, as it was the same one he used any time he needed a tent, especially during events like the Quidditch World Cup. But he knew to someone who had never been inside one of these tents before, it could be entrancing. He kissed the top of her head and made his way over to the bar where he took out two stunning crystal glasses and poured them each a dram of Firewhisky.

"Thank you," she smiled up at him and took the glass of offered drink. She breathed in the warm scent and took a sip of the drink; it immediately warmed her insides. "Mmm," she said in delight. She made her way over to the nest of pillows and blankets on the floor at sat against one of the silkiest cushions. Lucius came to join her in the nest, his black robes spilling out around him, his platinum hair was glowing under the green light of the chandelier and it caused his hair to almost look green itself. He looked otherworldly. Aria stared at him in wonder, the green light reflecting off of her already deep green eyes. Lucius thought to himself that she looked rather other worldly as well.

"You're so beautiful," he said to her, as he raised his glass of whisky to his mouth and drank down a long, full sip.

"I was just thinking the same about you," she smiled at him over the rim of her crystal glass.

For about an hour they drank, cuddled and talked. Everything felt so natural, and so right between the two of them. As the drink warmed their bodies inside and out, their conversation turned into one that was purely physical instead of verbal. Their bodies seemed to be magnetized and Aria felt a twisting in her belly that had only been increased by the warmth of the Firewhisky. Lucius felt it too as his groin stirred and he felt himself hardening by the minute. The green of her eyes under the glow of the light was mesmerizing him and he felt as if he would die soon if he didn't possess her body and therefore soul.

"I have one more thing to show you, come with me outside," Lucius said as he stood up abruptly and offered his hand out to Aria to help her up.

She was hesitant to leave, as she reveled in the warmth and the magic of the tent, but she would follow Lucius anywhere, so she grabbed his hand as he helped her up. He picked up one of the white fur blankets and put it around her, as he led her outside the tent. They made their way behind the tent and up a tiny hill and walked for about two minutes, until Aria saw before her one of the most extraordinary sights she had ever seen. Looming above the couple, shining silver in the moonlight, was a giant circle of standing stones. The stones themselves were as large as the ones at Stonehenge but these ones, Aria could sense, were filled with a lot more magic and ancient power.

"The Callanish Stones," Lucius said as he stared up at the stones with Aria. "They are full of ancient magic. Can you feel the power radiating from them?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said breathlessly. Her skin was tingling relentlessly all over.

Lucius took the fur blanket from her shoulders and laid it down in the absolute middle of the circle. The stones surrounding them like a protective ring. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down to her knees with him on the blanket. They didn't have to say anything to each other. They knew what would happen, and had to happen next. Aria slowly began removing her clothes, piece by piece until she was completely naked before Lucius. She should have been freezing cold but something about the magic of the stones circling around them, made her feel completely at ease, as if nothing could touch her. She felt almost invincible. She reached her hands out and began undressing Lucius, he helped her, and finally he was free of his clothes and as naked as she, his cock already huge, hard and pulsing with anticipation.

As they both kneeled on the blanket facing each other, they simply embraced and began touching each other's bodies, needing the feel of the other's flesh. Aria kissed him all over his smooth chest, face, neck, wherever she could get, and Lucius did the same to her. They could both feel the power and magic of the stones, stronger in their bodies with every touch and kiss. It was as if their love was fueling the magic of the stones, and the more passionate they got, the more the magic was felt. Aria then saw Lucius reach for this wand in the pile of his clothes.

"I want to try something," he said looking at her with intense eyes. "Do you trust me?"

Aria could only nod, her words not coming to her at that exact moment. She gasped in slightly as he pointed the tip of his wand at her chest and muttered so low, almost in a whisper _"Lumos Interius."_ He then quickly pointed the wand at himself and muttered the same spell, _"Lumos Interius."_

Aria and Lucius gasped aloud as they saw and felt the magic of the spell work through their bodies. From both of their chests a light glow began emanating, as if they were being lit from the inside out. The glows of their chests pulsed and brightened with each beat of their hearts. Aria laughed aloud in astonishment. Lucius had lit up their hearts and she could see his glowing in his chest, and he could see hers; he smiled back at her breathlessly. Aria leaned in and kissed him passionately. With the kiss she could feel the glow in her chest brightening and saw Lucius chest brightening too. She laughed again in wonder. This was the most intense and mind-blowing magic she had ever felt. She boldly put her hands on Lucius' chest and pushed him down gently so that he laid on his back on the blanket and he looked up to the stones above him and the moonlit night sky. He stared at his lover, completely mesmerized, as she straddled him. He wanted to protest, knowing that she was still not as experienced yet, but his words didn't come to him fast enough, because at that exact moment, Aria lowered her glorious wet heat down and around his rigid cock.

Lucius' moan that escaped him at the sudden engulfing of his member, was almost inhuman in sound. He stared up at the angel above him with wonder in his eyes. Her blond head was thrown back in ecstasy and her perfect breasts moved slightly up and down as she sat fully on his cock. He reached up his hands and grabbed her breasts tightly. He heard a loud moan escape her lips and she threw her head back forward to glance down at him with shining green eyes. She began to move slowly up and down. Every time she brought her hips up, her tight pussy clung relentlessly to his cock. She was so tight he didn't know how long he would last. She was moving as if she had known exactly what to do. She was a natural. With every movement the glow from their chests started radiating outward and they both stared at each other in bliss as their arms began to glow as well. The glow was spreading, the more they made love to each other.

Lucius moved his strong hands from her breasts down to her hips and grabbed them, almost bruising them with his intense grip. He guided her hips more quickly up and down. Both of them were almost screaming with pleasure.

"Lucius, do you feel it? The magic, it's so intense. It feels so good…you feel so good," Aria said through ragged breath as her brows furrowed. The glowing light was now radiating down each of their torsos and their legs. Aria's glow had a golden tinge to it, while Lucius' was more silver. It reminded them of the Soul Prophesies book, and they knew that this was yet another sign that they were soulmates and that they were meant to be.

"I feel it my love, I feel you…so wet and tight…so perfect…" he breathed heavily. He still gripped her hips tightly but one of his hands lowered down to the swollen nub of her clit and began rubbing as she continued riding him up and down, up and down.

"Oh God…" she screamed aloud. With each circle of her clit, Aria's full body was now glowing the golden glow as it had reached up to light her face and her hair was now glowing like a mermaid's under a full moon. Lucius was now also fully lit from head to toe as well, his platinum hair, the brightest it had ever been.

Lucius felt the beginnings of her orgasm and knew this was to be the most intense orgasm either of them had ever had. With a few final bucks of her hips and circles of her clit, Aria's orgasm burst out of her. Her skin tingled, her eyes went black, she heard her screams echo around her, as if the stone circle absorbed her pleasure and fed off of it. She was glowing so brightly she looked like she was about to combust into a million stars.

"I love you Lucius," she screamed out into the magically heavy air around them.

Lucius looked at the wondrous sight and came instantly after her orgasm, he shot his seed deep into her and screamed aloud, combining with her screams. The silver light he emanated was equally as bright as her golden glow. They both heard a noise and their screams stopped. It was a whooshing and a whispering type of noise. It was the stones; they seemed to be joining in on the ecstasy of what had just been felt between the two lovers and they both noticed that the stones seemed to be glowing as well, just not as brightly as the two of them.

Aria collapsed off of Lucius and lay beside him on the fur blanket. He turned to her and caressed her cheek lightly with his left hand.

"You are all I live for now. Know that…" he said fiercely.

Aria couldn't say anything, she was still too in awe of what just transpired but she nodded as a few tears of joy fell from her eyes. Lucius wiped them away and looked at her with concern.

"I know that Lucius," she finally said. "I'm sorry…I am just so in awe. In awe that I could ever feel this way and that I just had that experience. It's beyond anything I could ever have imagined," she smiled sweetly.

Laying naked still in the center of the circle, neither of them cold, the glow from the spell wore off and their bodies went back to their normal color, the moonlight bathing them in its ethereal glow. Finally, after some time they gathered their clothes, Aria simply wrapped the blanket around herself, but remained naked as they made their way back to the tent. They immediately went to the bed and collapsed into its softness. Lucius smiled to himself as they drifted off to sleep as he reveled in the fact that he had made this night even more special than the last time they had been together. He knew he wanted to continue to do that forever.


	8. Chapter 8- Admitting Truths

**Please enjoy and review! I added a Pinterest board for this chapter of course over on my Pinterest page:<https://www.pinterest.com/VersaillesPixie/soulmates-at-first-sight-ch8-admitting-truths/>**

* * *

Aria awoke the next morning wrapped up in Lucius strong arms. She breathed in his fresh and intoxicating smell and it immediately awakened her senses.

"Mmmm," she said as she cuddled in closer to his body and stretched. She could still feel the magic of his spell and the stones still wearing off in her body. She wanted to stay wrapped up in his arms forever and just feel the sensations within her body. At her moan, she felt Lucius tighten his hold around her, which made her moan even more.

"Good morning, my love," he said huskily in her ear.

She reveled in his use of words, and sighed happily in response and kissed his smooth, bare chest. The two lay in bed for a while longer before Lucius finally got up and grabbed his wand. He didn't put on any clothes and he walked boldly around the tent; his pale skin and hair luminescent and his large cock swaying slightly as he moved around with some remnant left of morning wood. He was a glorious sight and Aria's eyes followed his every movement around the tent as he walked over to the kitchen.

With a swish of his wand, he procured an amazing traditional Scottish breakfast and tea on fancy silver trays and brought the trays back to bed with him. Aria stared at him in delight and wonder. This man was always too perfect, it was almost too much.

"Breakfast in bed? What did I do to deserve to have you in my life?" she said looking at the trays filled with delicious Scottish scones, porridges, sausages and tea.

"You deserve it. You deserve everything fine and good of this world," he said seriously as he stared into her eyes.

"I bet you say that to all of the women…" she said jokingly.

"No. I don't," he said seriously again.

She smiled softly back and began eating her breakfast to which Lucius joined in on doing as well. They enjoyed the delicious breakfast and spoke mainly of Aria's next few days ahead in Scotland and what was on her agenda. Lucius desperately wanted her trip to be over, so she could come back to the Manor. The Manor had been so dim without her energy and inspiration since she had been away. Aria noted that although Lucius had been loving and caring that morning, there was a seriousness about his energy, especially after she had jokingly teased him about "other women."

"Thank you for the marvelous breakfast in bed," Aria said as she drank the last bit of her tea. "How can I ever go back to the Bed and Breakfast after staying the night here in this amazing tent?"

"You can stay as long as you'd like. In fact, I would love to see us make use of the bathtub," he said with a spark igniting in his grey eyes.

"Oh, that sounds amazing," she smirked up at him. "Here let me clean up first," she grabbed her wand from the bedside table and muttered a quick cleaning charm, and with a pop, the trays vanished. She slid out of bed and made her way to the bathroom with the giant sunken tub. Lucius admired her firm backside as she walked away from him, her blond hair falling in luscious waves down her back almost reaching the top of her bum. He wondered to himself if she had any Veela blood in her family line.

Aria noticed that the bath had numerous golden taps attached to it. She turned the two in the middle, which turned out to be the water taps, and she adjusted them until the water was the perfect heat, not scorching hot, but very warm. There was a larger tap to the left side, so she turned that one and out poured green liquid which instantly made the bath a wonderland of light green bubbles. She laughed at the whimsy of it, and of course noting the presence of the green color again. She would have to ask him about what that color meant to him. There was one skinnier tap to the right side, and she turned that on as well. Out flowed the most sensuous scent. It smelled deliciously like Lucius, but even more strong, it was almost like the pine from a tree with the sweet and spicy undertones.

After the bath had filled up all the way, Aria turned off the taps and stepped gently down into the huge tub, which could easily have fit four to five people. It was more like a small pool. She delighted in the large space in which to move around and the scent of the pale green bubbles and water that engulfed her. She plunged her whole body under the water for a few seconds, getting her head and hair wet. She wanted the scent of the water to be completely on her. When she came up for hair, her blond hair slicked back, she opened her eyes and saw Lucius standing tall and powerful above her at the edge of the tub, his cock still slightly between softness and hardness. The muscles of his abdomen mesmerizing her. He stepped down slowly into the tub and finally came to the middle where he also plunged down under the water, coming back up after a few seconds with his platinum hair slicked back just like hers.

She grabbed him around the neck softly and floated against his body, her body felt incredibly light as it was supported by the water. She kissed him gently at first, their warm, wet lips feeling amazing against each other's. Her tongue reached out to part his lips and he granted her access and met her tongue with his. She moaned in pleasure at the feeling of it, and his hands slid up and down her body underneath the water, her smooth skin felt slippery and succulent from the water and soap. She moaned again, then finally breaking the kiss and looked up at him. The green of the water reflecting off of her green eyes. God, it was as if she was made for him and him alone, thought Lucius.

"I noticed you have a lot of green in your life," Aria mused aloud, breaking his train of thought. "What is its significance?"

"It's the colors of Slytherin," he said matter of factly.

"Oh, the famous wizard, Salazar Slytherin," she knew her wizarding history of course. But she saw Lucius smirk. "Oh no did I get my history wrong?" she said immediately self-conscious.

"No, not at all actually. But it is also for the Slytherin house of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. From the creation of the school, my family has been Slytherins through the generations. Not one of us has been sorted into any other house at the school. The green of the Slytherin house reflects our family's long history and ties to it. It is very important to my family," he explained.

Aria loved hearing more about him and his family, as she found him to be the most fascinating of men.

"I love hearing about your history Lucius," she said smiling and running her fingers through his wet hair, digging her nails lightly against his scalp in the process. His body tingled and shuddered at the exquisite feel of her touch. His cock hardened further.

"You amaze me," he said breathlessly. "Mostly everyone else in this damned world, hates me, especially for my family's history and past…but here you are…embracing it and interested in it."

"Everyone has a past, especially when it comes to their family's legacy…but I can see the man you are today, and that is what matters to me," she said truthfully.

"Everyone only sees my darkness and what I was, but I have tried since the war to be a better man; a man deep down that I knew I could be, while also staying true to the core essence of what my family was…before the darkness truly corrupted us all…" he replied. "Sometimes I don't know myself though, if maybe I am under it all, just the dark villain that everyone thinks I am."

"I've only seen the good side of you Lucius, and I know that is the true you."

Lucius didn't respond to that, as he wasn't sure what he truly felt deep down; he certainly knew it wasn't "good," as she had just put it. He simply gave her a soft smile and kissed her tenderly in response. Aria noted his lack of response but wasn't upset by it.

"Are these some of these reasons why you got more serious when I joked about "other women" earlier?" Aria asked sincerely.

"Yes, that aspect of my reputation is part of it," he admitted. "Aria, I won't lie. I have been known in the past before my wife… and after we divorced… to have had many women…and I did, I'll admit, and yet they meant nothing to me. They were just there to quench my constant feeling of loneliness; but when I tell you that you deserve all of the finer things in life, I want you to know and understand that I mean it with every fiber of my being…" he said as he looked at her intensely.

The words continued to pour from him. "You are the one who I know I was destined to be with, even if the book hadn't revealed to us its prophecy. I actually want to change and be a better man for you. I have never felt like this before in my entire life. I want you and I crave you and I need you…" he breathed heavily as he poured his heart out to her. Aria couldn't help it as tears began to fall down her face.

"I'm sorry I don't mean to make you cry…" he said as he wiped his finger across her cheek to wipe away the tears. "Last night was just so incredible, I can't begin to describe how every moment with you has affected me…" he said looking down with a furrow in his brow. His emotions clearly becoming too much for him.

"I know, me too Lucius…every night I have spent with you has been astonishing. Especially last night. I don't think I will ever be able to explain or understand what I truly felt. We are soul mates I know it," she said passionately.

"Yes," he said as he leaned his forehead down to hers. "I am honored that you have given yourself to me; body, mind and soul," he breathed in.

"I was worried at first you would think me too inexperienced sexually."

"Not at all, if anything it arouses me more knowing that I am the only man to have been inside your sweet body, it is unlike anything I have ever felt or experienced. Your body deserves to be worshiped," he smirked. He had thought this exact thing before but had never vocally told her so.

She laughed breathily, "Well then I am glad to have someone so experienced at worshipping."

He got serious again. "I have only ever worshipped one body, and it is yours…" he said truthfully. It was _true_ , he had never adored any woman, not even his wife early in their marriage, the way he adored Aria.

With that, Aria clung more tightly to his neck and kissed him with such passion it momentarily took his breath away. She had been so touched at his honesty and his heart pouring out to her, she had to have him now. He kissed her back with equal fervor slipping his tongue into her mouth and tasting her sweet essence. He grabbed her bum underneath the water and lifted her up slightly so that her legs wrapped around his waist. She could feel his throbbing erection hovering in the water near her entrance. He moved them both back and sat on one of the steps leading into the bathtub, the lower halves of their bodies still submerged in the water.

Lucius took one of her dripping wet breasts in his mouth and began sucking roughly. She tasted clean but smelled like the scent of himself from the bubbles of the bath, it was mixed with her scent though, and he was intoxicated by it. He moaned aloud as he moved his mouth from one wet breast to the other.

"Oh Lucius…" she moaned aloud as her head fell backwards. His lips around her felt like pure heaven. With one swift movement she hovered her entrance above his cock and sank down onto it as she sat fully onto his lap with his cock buried deep into her. The both cried aloud in pleasure. As she moved up and down over his erect shaft, the water around them in the tub moved like waves around them, caressing them, and causing water and bubbles to splash everywhere. The whole time their eyes were locked on one another's and their mouths hung slightly open as they both breathed hard and moaned with every thrust.

Lucius felt them both beginning the climb towards their release, but he wanted to make this last for as long as he could. He grabbed her by the bum and lifted her up and out of the bath, still sheathed inside of her, never slipping out. Her eyes widened in surprise as he made his way over to the tiled wall and pressed her up against it as she was supported by his arms and cock alone. The shock of the cold tile against her back sent a thrilling sensation through her body and she moaned loudly and buried her face into his neck.

Supporting her with his strong arms still glistening with water, he pounded into her, it was the least gentle he had ever been with her, and he felt the thrill of it surge through him; he felt extremely powerful as he held up the young woman against the wall, impaled on his cock. His head was bent down looking at his cock driving into her over and over again, her screams of pleasure echoing off the tiled walls. He looked up at her through hooded grey eyes, the fire in them burning causing them to look like shooting stars. She looked back at him, her brow furrowed in pleasure that looked like pain, the look he adored seeing on her face more than anything.

"Come for me Aria. God you are sublime. I need to feel you come all over me…do it now!" he screamed into the room in ecstasy.

Aria reveled in his commands to her and in a split second, came all over his glorious cock. Her walls pulsated around him and she shook violently as he held her up against the wall. Lucius froze himself during this and seeing her in such complete heaven made his orgasm come just as fast and strong. He shot up into her and joined in on her screams of pleasure. During his orgasm Lucius had pressed her harder up against the tiled wall, but she didn't mind it. As they slowly came down from their ecstasy Lucius carried her back to the bed, still inside her as he slowly softened. He laid them both down gently on the velvet comforter.

"Lucius, that was pure heaven," she said as she turned to him and lightly grazed her hand over his chest. Gooseflesh rose on his skin at her touch and he sighed a breath of bliss.

"Mmm," was all he could say in response, because he, himself, was still in heaven and refused to come back down to Earth. The two lovers laid like that for a while, when Aria broke the silence.

"Lucius…what Hogwarts house would I be in do you think?" she laughed slightly, which caused Lucius to laugh under his breath a bit in return.

"Well, let me see here…" he said in a honeyed voice as he turned to her and propped up a bit on his elbow so he could look down at her. Her green eyes bright with curiosity and her dazzling smile flitting across her face.

"Well…as much as I would love to say Slytherin, as we could get into all kinds of mischief together…" he smirked wickedly, "I would think you would make a very fine Ravenclaw. Extremely smart and intuitive, but not snobbish about your brilliantness. Also, with your love for history and the past, I would say you are an old soul at heart, wiser beyond your years."

Aria smiled wider at his words. She knew he was being honest, and he could figure her out well and she agreed with his analysis.

"That sounds like a lovely house! Are they very well liked at Hogwarts?"

"Yes and no. People respect them for their brilliantness…" he mused "But they can often times keep to themselves, and sometimes I think others might be intimidated by them. _You_ have the kindness and sweetness of a Hufflepuff on the other hand," he said rolling his eyes and smirking, "but you'd rather be in Ravenclaw."

Aria laughed and smiled at his haughtiness. "And back at Hogwarts, would you ever have imagined being in love with a Ravenclaw?" she asked tracing her fingertip lightly over him again. The gooseflesh rose on him again, and he shuddered in delight.

"I would desire you even if you were a Gryffindor my love…and that is saying something!" He laughed slightly, more at himself for even admitting such a thing, but he knew it was the truth and he would never regret saying it aloud.


	9. Chapter 9-Meeting & News

**Please review! :)**

* * *

It took every ounce of Aria's mental strength to pull herself away from Lucius and their magical oasis that was his tent. She had to present to witches, wizards and some prominent muggles tomorrow about some of the more specific history of Midhope Castle. She would also be inspecting inside the castle, to see the layout and what needed the most urgent restoration help.

Before she apparated back to Edinbugh, Aria looked deep into Lucius' eyes, imprinting the sight into her mind to get her through the next few days in Scotland. She was scared to leave him for fear that her crushing feeling of loss without him would return, especially after their magical and life changing experience at the stone circle from the night before.

"I don't want to leave you," she said looking up at him. She loved how small and petit she felt whenever she embraced him and looked up into his eyes.

"Trust me, my beauty, I'd rather you come back with me to the Manor right now," he said as he looked down into her eyes as well.

"How will I get in contact with you? Not talking to you for the first few days I was here was torture," she admitted. "I wish you had a cell phone; I know it is such a Muggle item though."

"I have one…somewhere…" Lucius remembered he had gotten one at the pressure of his son Draco, who had told him it was a must have. Truth be told, Lucius' old-fashioned ways worked out quite well for him, and he never used the damned phone as it turned out. He had put it away in a drawer in his study years ago.

Aria smiled widely and ran to one of the side tables where she saw a quill and parchment. She tore off a little piece and wrote her number down on the piece of paper. She felt like a schoolgirl, passing her number to one of her crushes. She giggled at the muggle-ness of it all.

"Here you are," she smirked and slipped it seductively in the inside pocket of his black robes.

"The instant I find the damned thing, you'll know…" he smirked. "But we only use these horrid devices when we are far apart. Once you are back in London, we do things the old-fashioned way," he said as he grabbed her by the hips strongly and brought her back closer to him and kissed her passionately.

"Yes Sir," she smiled coyly up at him.

Her submissiveness, even if she was just joking, made his cock instantly grow hard.

"Mmmm," he moaned in need. "You better apparate now. Your charms and your beauty are getting to me Witch."

Aria felt a surge of need in her core at him using such a term to address her. She loved entrancing him so much and she loved how much he always seemed to want her. He made her feel as if she was the only woman in the world. With one final searing kiss of passion, Aria stood back from him.

"I love you," she said almost in a whisper, "my Lucius." And with that she apparated on the spot.

* * *

She arrived back at the Bed and Breakfast, into her room luckily, so as not to draw too much attention to herself. She spent the rest of the evening at dinner being fussed over by Mrs. Ferguson, who had been worried sick, when she hadn't seen her all night or day. Aria sincerely hoped she wouldn't blab to anyone else about her being away from her room. She didn't want anyone from her work asking too many questions.

The next day, Aria checked her phone and saw that there still weren't any messages from Lucius which made her heart sink a bit. She knew today was important though, so she dressed in some of her finer black dress pants with black heeled boots and a gorgeous fitted green blazer. She apparated to the grounds of the Castle and already found a large group of witches and wizards gathered. She greeted them all with a cheery smile. She saw some new faces in the crowd that she hadn't seen the other day, and one in particular made her breath stop, when she realized it had to be none other than Lucius' son himself, Draco Malfoy. The resemblance was too staggering not to instantly notice; Draco's platinum hair was cut short however, not long and luscious like his father's. He had the same grey eyes, but the rest of his face was definitely not Lucius' gorgeous bone structure. He looked more pinched in the face, those features must be from his mother, Aria thought to herself. She noticed Draco looking at her intently as she approached the group of gathered people.

Aria was able to take the group around the outside grounds of Midhope castle as she told them the rich history of the place. One of its tenants, Alexander Drummond and his wife Marjory, had been prominent wizards of their day back in the 16th century. The Drummond family had worked with the Royal family of Scotland and acted as important liaisons between the muggle and Wizarding world. In a way, they had also been ambassadors themselves, which is why Aria had felt so connected to the history of this place and the people who had lived there centuries ago. As an ambassador herself, she felt it was her job to help protect and preserve their history. All seemed to be going well. Some of the group left but some stayed behind. These were the people who would join Aria to go inside of the building to see what they were looking at in terms of preservation needs and also if they were to find any rare items. Not a lot of people could go in the castle at once due to it being so derelict. One of the people who stayed behind was Draco, who Aria noticed was still staring at her intently, she wasn't sure why. As they were waiting for the overseer of the building to lead them carefully inside, she made her way over to Draco to introduce herself.

As she walked over to where he stood off to the side, she stared at him, noticing his eyes dart away from hers almost nervously as she made her way over. She noticed he was wearing black robes similar to that of his father, but for some reason they just didn't look as refined and as well fitted as they usually did on Lucius. It was pretty hard to compare to Lucius though, she thought, as a feeling of warmth emanated through her body at the thought of her lover.

"Hello, my name is Aria De La Cour," she said with a warm smile as she extended her hand out to Draco.

He pretended to be surprised at her appearance in an act of nonchalant attitude, but she knew he had been pretending that he hadn't just been staring at her the entire time.

"Draco Malfoy," he said shaking her hand briefly before pulling his away. He said nothing else and Aria simply stared at him for a few seconds studying him. Although he reminded her of Lucius, she realized that after looking at him he severely lacked the elegance and refinement that Lucius so clearly possessed, and she knew Draco's soul didn't run as deep as Lucius'.

"Did you know that your father is my mentor for the new Ministry Ambassador program?" she said warmly, ignoring his cold attitude towards her. "He has been wonderfully enlightening…" she said truthfully continuing on with her friendly conversation, with a faint blush coming to her cheek as she reveled in the truth of her words of just how _enlightening_ Lucius had been.

With that Draco laughed out loud, almost as if making fun of her. " _My father…wonderfully enlightening?!"_ he laughed again. "Well, he must be a very good actor than, I'll have to give him more credit than I usually do. That sounds like something he absolutely would abhor. I am surprised he has convinced you enough otherwise."

Aria frowned slightly at his attitude towards his father and the whole situation. "Well you should give him more credit. He's very knowledgeable…and wonderful..." she added.

"Well…" said Draco, as he looked slowly up and down her body, making Aria instantly uncomfortable, "I can see why he is maybe controlling his temper and attitude around you," he said smirking.

"And why is that?" Aria asked with a stern face, challenging him to speak the truth of what he was thinking, although she had a feeling she knew that he meant that his father only appreciated her for her looks. Something in which Draco seemed to be doing at that exact moment.

"Well…" he said again with a smirk looking her up and down her body again, as if indicating to her his meaning.

She frowned and looked away as if wanting to get on with the tour of inside the castle and away from Draco.

"Look sorry," he finally muttered to her. "I just can't fathom why anyone would call my father enlightening and wonderful…the man has been a dark, brooding wizard his entire life…I am sure he would rather be doing anything else then forced into mentoring people in a Ministry sanctioned program," Draco said as he rolled his eyes.

"Maybe you don't know your father as well as you think you do…" she muttered back just as quietly. "People change. I am sure you aren't as innocent in your previous years of life…" she said staring fiercely into his grey eyes, piercing him with her green ones. She could tell he was taken aback at her words as he slightly flinched. He said nothing but simply glared.

"Why are you even here today anyways?" Aria continued, all of the warmth she had approached him initially with, gone completely.

"I work at Gringotts…" he said as if she should have already known. "I need to see if there is anything rare here that we would need to store in one of our vaults during restoration."

"Oh," was all she managed to say.

All she could feel at this moment was the desperate feeling of wanting to be back in Lucius' arms. To be reassured that everything Draco said and felt about his father was wrong. She could tell Lucius was a changed man, even though she didn't know him before; she knew deep down he was a man of absolute worth. She was sad that this was the direction her first interaction with Draco had taken. If one day her and Lucius' relationship came out into the light, she wanted the most important person in his life to accept her, and right now it definitely wasn't going as planned. Of course, Draco didn't know the extent to how in depth her and his father's relationship had really gone. Her nerves bubbled to the surface, realizing how unprofessional it all was; but she knew in the very core of her being, nothing could prevent her from loving Lucius. They were truly soul mates, and she really believed destiny had brought them together.

When it was finally time to go and tour the inside of Midhope, Aria stayed far away from Draco, as not to get herself flustered again. The inside was tragically derelict, and she sincerely hoped that all of her work on this business trip would earn the building the funding it truly needed. Although needing great work, Aria and her fellow witches and wizards did find some gorgeous artifacts inside, such as ancient spell books, glass bottles filled with unidentifiable objects, and, they were also lucky enough to find some of the beautifully painted parts of the ceiling from the original foundation of the building. That ceiling would need the most restoration as well as the grand wooden staircase.

As the day ended, and the witches and wizards came out of the building and back to reality, Aria was about to apparate back to the Bed and Breakfast, Draco turned to her and simply said, "Good luck," with a smirk on his face that was the complete opposite of Lucius' typically sexy smirk. Draco's smirk was not well intended, she realized.

"I won't need it," she said through a sickeningly sweet smile, and with a pop, apparated.

She was still upset and frustrated as she lay down on the comfy bed in her guest room at the Bed and Breakfast. Draco had made her angry not only with his attitude, but his blatant disrespect for his father. Aria knew that Lucius had a reputation from the past, but to hear it from his own son stung and she felt fiercely loyal to Lucius, even more so than usual. She wished she could be with him at that exact moment, in the tent, back on the Isle near the stone circle. Almost as if he heard her silent pleas for him, she heard her phone ring once in her bag. She took it out and looked at it and her stomach flipped in the most delicious way.

_Your eyes, your scent, your taste. It is all I think of until you return to me._

_LM_

Aria's heart soared at the text message. So, he had found his old phone and had used it just for her. She giggled to herself, imagining someone as impressive, aristocratic and old-fashioned such as Lucius, using such a modern object. She lay back down on the bed and laid the phone over her heart as if trying to transfer his essence into her. The day after tomorrow she would be back in London, and back to her Lucius.

* * *

On Aria's last day in Scotland, an owl came to her window at the Bed and Breakfast and tapped on the glass with its beak. She recognized the owl as an official Ministry owl, as it carried a letter with the telltale Ministry blue tie around the message. Aria opened it up curiously, read it and then breathed a huge sigh of relief and accomplishment.

_Miss De La Cour,_

_The Government of Scotland as well as the Ministry for Magic have decided to partner in the official funding and restoration of the historically significant Midhope Castle. Due to your rich knowledge of the history and your understanding of the importance to preserve such a space, you have managed to secure enough donors and sponsors to begin such a project. Congratulations on a job well done._

_Sincerely,_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic_

Aria realized that the first thing she wanted to do after receiving the good news, was to instantly tell Lucius. Not her fellow ambassador and best friend, Pepper, not Hermione, not even her parents…but she wanted to tell the most important person in her life, and she knew now that that was Lucius. She realized she wanted to share everything in her life with him, before anyone else. She felt a huge sense of dedication and connection to him, even though he wasn't there physically. She hadn't texted him back after his initial text from the day before because it was such a perfect declaration of his feelings for her and she wanted to savor it, but now she quickly took out her phone and texted him.

_I did it. Midhope Castle will be renovated and restored!_

She didn't receive a text back but wasn't expecting one so quickly. She went downstairs to tell Mrs. Ferguson the good news.

"Och aye! I knew you could do it!" beamed Mrs. Ferguson after hearing the news. "I know everyone here in Scotland will be so thankful for ye."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ferguson. It was honestly my pleasure. I've loved being here in Scotland and I am proud I am able to help restore such an important piece of history for this country," smiled Aria.

"This country is thankful for our wee American lass," she said sweetly as she patted Aria's hand.

Aria would greatly miss Mrs. Ferguson. She was so impossible not to like and her term of endearment she just used made Aria's heart swell.

"Aw Mrs. Ferguson," was all Aria could say back as she drew the squat, little lady into a giant hug. "Thank you for taking care of me this week.

Mrs. Ferguson flushed and muttered some more terms of endearment to which Aria couldn't quite understand with her thick Scottish accent and all.

With that, Aria felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. It was a text response back from Lucius.

_I never had any doubts of your amazing abilities._

_LM_

Aria smiled softly and again, placed her phone over her heart like the first time he texted her, as if trying to absorb Lucius up and out of her phone and into her heart. She couldn't wait to see him tomorrow and be one with him once again.

* * *

With her bags packed the next morning, Aria was all too anxious to get back to London. The sooner she was there the sooner she could see her Lucius. She quickly packed her bags as she changed into her comfiest clothes she brought with her. A pair of black yoga pants and a white and grey striped hoodie. It was a very California-muggle outfit, but she would be traveling today, and although it was a weekday, she had the day off from work because of her hard work put in on her business trip.

She gave Mrs. Ferguson one last hug after breakfast, and used the fireplace to Floo back to her flat in London. When Aria dizzily landed back in her flat, she realized how little time she had spent there lately. With either being at the Manor or in Scotland, her tiny flat was a bit stuffy and dusty. She opened the large living room windows which looked out over the gorgeous St. James Park. She breathed in the fresh air, as she pulled out her wand and muttered a small cleaning spell which immediately made the dust of the flat disappear and a fresh clean scent engulf the room.

Aria wheeled her bags into her room to begin unpacking when her breath stopped, and her cheeks flushed with surprise. On her bedside table was a gigantic French Sevres style porcelain vase in white and gold with a gorgeous floral design painted on the front, and inside the vase were hundreds of white roses. Her room smelled heavenly and she knew at once they were from Lucius. Only he could think of something so absolutely stunning. The history focused part of her brain nearly exploded when she realized the porcelain vase was a genuine Sevres piece as she noticed the distinct marking of two, intertwined Ls with the letter A in between. Her heart stopped beating momentarily as she realized the marking on the vase meant that it was from the mid-1700s, meaning that this vase was from the time of the French King, Louis XV. She nearly cried at the history sitting in front of her. Lucius never failed to astound and amaze her with not only his knowledge of history but also of his possession of such artifacts.

Aria wanted to apparate right away to Malfoy Manor to thank Lucius for the amazing gift, but her body was calling out for a shower and she decided she would apparate the instant she was done showering. She went in her tiny bathroom into the walk-in shower and let the warm water run down her body. It felt so good after being in Scotland for almost a week, where she had been constantly cold and bundled up in thick clothing, although she desperately missed the big bathtub from Lucius' tent. When she was done, she brushed her long blond hair and wrapped herself up in a plush white towel. When she walked out of the bathroom, she instantly noticed the scent. The one scent that called out to her very soul. It was Lucius' scent, that masculine mix of musk and spearmint. Her sacred space between her legs instantly got wet and as she turned the corner back into her room, sitting on the edge of her bed, with his black trouser clad legs crossed, sat the impressive form of her lover, Lucius. Her breath quickened and she ran over to where he sat on the edge of the bed. He didn't say anything but simply stared up at her wet towel-clad body with a look of intense sensuality on his face.

She instantly let the towel drop to her feet and stood before him, naked and glistening with the wetness from the shower. A moan escaped his throat as he stared at the beautiful naked woman standing so close before him. Since he was sitting and she was standing, his head came to about her breast level and he grabbed her firmly by the hips drawing her even closer to him as he took one of her nipples tenderly in his mouth and began lightly licking and sucking, and then he moved to the other. Both of them moaning at the sensations.

After his attentions to her breasts she leaned her body down and straddled him as he still sat on the edge of the bed. As her center came into contact with his groin area, she felt how hard and ready he was for her, so she slowly rubbed up and down along his hardness which was still sheathed in his trousers. The friction against her folds and clit made her shudder and moan and a long, guttural moan came from his throat as he felt her rub up against his hard cock. He was so desperate for her; a few days apart had been extremely hard on his aching cock.

As she continued rubbing against him, she leaned to his ear and whispered, "Thank you so much for my beautiful gift, my love."

He then whispered back tenderly in her ear, "I wanted you to have a good homecoming," as he kissed and nibbled at her ear, causing gooseflesh to rise all over her body.

"I can't believe you gave me real Sevres porcelain…let alone from the 1700s…" she said in wonder, as she briefly stopped rubbing up against his straining cock.

"I told you when we first met, I had many wondrous artifacts…" he said as he gripped her hips and started pushing her up and down again letting her know he wanted her to continue her rubbing and humping against his clothed cock. The friction felt too good for both of them.

"I can't believe you would just give me something like that though…" she continued to talk.

With that, all Lucius responded was "Shhhh…" as he leaned forward and kissed her lips passionately. His tongue seeking immediate entrance to her warm mouth. He reveled in the feel of her wet body on and around him. She smelled so fresh and clean and the wetness from the shower made her skin smooth and silky. He couldn't take it anymore and knew he needed her right then and there, otherwise he would explode.

He grabbed her by the waist and flipped her around so that she landed with her back on the bed. She giggled at his sudden strength and passion and spread her legs widely, as an invitation to him. He marveled at her smooth, pink pussy and could see how wet she already was for him. With a guttural moan that almost sounded inhuman, he unbuttoned his pants in one solid motion and let them fall to the floor. Again, he was wearing no underwear, which greatly excited Aria. He was so unlike any other typical man, wizard or muggle, and he was all hers. He also ripped off his black button up shirt, popping off some of the buttons in the process, until his purely naked form was standing over her. His cock didn't even sway or move as he leaned down over her on the bed, it was so hard and rigid it couldn't possibly move.

He looked once more deeply into her eyes and plunged his cock all the way into her. She breathed in a loud breath at the sudden fullness inside of her. Tears brimmed to the surface of her eyes but didn't spill over; she was just so overcome with completion that she couldn't help her emotions. She closed her eyes almost as in embarrassment, but she heard Lucius' soft voice "Open your eyes for me, my love." And so, she complied and stared back into his grey orbs of wonder.

He was so deep inside of her, and his thrusts were so purposefully small, that he maintained his deepness with each little thrust. She felt as if he was almost all the way inside of her stomach; while she knew that was impossible, it was how it felt. He was so big and perfect that her tears now spilled over. His gaze never broke from hers and while his emotion wasn't as plain on his face as hers was, he felt deep in his bones the same feeling of completion. He continued his thrusts and he had been so deep, that his muscled lower stomach near the base of his cock rubbed tantalizingly against her clit with each thrust. The whole time it had been driving Aria increasingly over the edge until finally with one final deep thrust, she met him with a thrust of her own and she orgasmed so hard she cried out into the room and more tears streamed down her face in pleasure.

"So good my love…I'm coming so hard…don't ever stop…I need you…forever," she screamed out into the room.

Lucius then switched from his slow, gentle deep thrusts to fast and hard thrusts, knowing that after her orgasm he wouldn't be able to last much longer. Her pleasure always made him go over the edge, as it was the most attractive thing in the world to him. With each thrust, her pussy clenched tighter around his cock, as the aftershocks of her orgasm were still pulsing within her.

"My girl…so perfect…" he screamed out into the room, his deep voice sounding so unlike his usually honeyed drawl. And with that he came hard. Shooting his seed up into her, as deep as it had ever been. To Aria it felt like the warmest of liquids was binding them together into one being. She moaned aloud with him, reveling in his pleasure.

After they both came down from their passionate lovemaking, the both laid in her bed just luxuriating in each other's company.

"I know it was only a few days, but I missed you so much," she said as she laid her head on his smooth, muscular chest. His arms were around her and his fingers were tracing up and down her body giving her the most pleasurable and relaxing sensations.

"It was practically unbearable for me as well…" he said truthfully. "If you couldn't tell…" he said smirking. She knew he was referring to his instant hardness upon seeing her.

"How did you know I was even home," Aria wondered aloud.

Truth be told, Lucius had gotten that feeling again. He somehow was so in tune with her body that he always now knew when she was near and in need, whether it be good or bad. Just like the time she needed his help that one fateful night when they had first met. He knew it probably had to do with the Soul Prophesies book.

"I just knew," he said as he stared up at her ceiling, lost in his thought. He couldn't even begin to describe how much he cared and felt for the woman in his arms. He never knew he could feel like this, let alone so instinctively. "We are true soulmates… I think I have some unseen connection to you, even if I am not there physically," he admitted.

Aria smiled and breathed in his scent, as it had become even more concentrated after their lovemaking. She moaned in approval at his words. It made her feel safe and protected that he would somehow always know where she was and how she was feeling; if she was in need.

After a while more in blissful silence Aria spoke up again.

"I met your son…Draco…" she said timidly. She felt him tense slightly.

"Oh?"

"Yes…he was very…um…I don't know how to put it…" she didn't know quite how to finish her sentence. Her first meeting with his son hadn't gone as well as she would have hoped. "He doesn't know anything about us obviously…well besides the fact that you are my mentor…he also may have mentioned that you are only talking to me for my good looks…"

Lucius stayed silent for about a minute and then spoke with a furrowed brow.

"First of all, I am glad he doesn't know the extent of our relationship…yet. He can't be trusted not to spread slanderous rumors," muttered Lucius. "Secondly…while at first I did definitely notice you for your surpassing beauty, I was still intrigued as to why we got paired initially…then I immediately discovered how similar we were in terms of our interests and our _passions_ …and then I felt you that night you were in danger…I sensed you, and I knew there was something special between us. I hope you will believe me."

"Of course, I believe you," she said firmly. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't instantly attracted to your handsomeness and elegance at first…" she smirked.

They remained silent for a bit, but Aria thought to herself and was surprised at how similar Draco and Lucius' opinions about each other were and she wondered how it got to be in such a state. It made her sad for the two of them. Almost as if reading her mind, Lucius spoke.

"After the war…my wife and my son… both couldn't cope with the fact that our family had been shamed and that life would be so different. The loss of power and status greatly affected them. Half of our old friends thought us cowards, half of them thought we made the right decision by fleeing the fight but were still afraid that we had ties to the Dark Lord's minions. Truth be told, after the War and almost losing my son, I didn't want to take anyone's side anymore. I just wanted peace…" he said. "Draco tended to believe how his Mom felt. Wanting that old power and glory we used to have. For me, I just wanted to be left alone. To live out my life the way I wanted, and never be controlled by anyone, ever again."

He continued on. "I haven't felt peace my entire life…not until I met you and realized you were my soul mate. As I have told you before, I feel like I have wasted my life away. If you had been born sooner, and we met earlier, maybe things would be so different," he smirked at the thought of how much younger she was than him. Younger even than his son. It didn't bother him; the only thing that bothered him was that he wished he had more time with her earlier in his life. "Alas, I am controlled now…but only in my deep feelings for you. I would do anything for you."

Aria's tears were streaming down her face again. Not only for the love she felt for Lucius and their connection, but also for Lucius himself; the essential loss of love from his son.

"I'm so sorry Lucius…maybe he will come around one day and see how happy you are finally. Surely, that is all he could want for you." Aria meant what she said, but she remembered Draco's stinging words to her back in Scotland about how he felt his father was eternally dark and incapable of caring. She knew that to be so untrue.

Lucius shrugged, but resumed lightly caressing her skin all over.

"All I need and want is you…" he said romantically, making her heart soar.

"I feel the same," she said changing the subject to more happy matters at hand. She then smiled in realization that this was the first time they had made love in her flat and not at his Manor. He suddenly seemed so odd looking here in her tiny, airy flat. She was so used to experiencing passion with him in the ornate and magnificent settings that were so like him, whether it be the Manor or the magical tent, she missed the feeling of being entirely engulfed by not only him, but his essence and style and opulence.

"I miss the Manor," she admitted freely.

He smiled. He felt truly glad that she felt so comfortable with him at the Manor. Part of him wanted to suggest immediately that she get rid of this flat and move in with him tonight, but he didn't want to pressure her into doing anything too fast.

"It misses your light," he said huskily.

The two of them chatted comfortably and sometimes laid together in silence until night came upon them and they drifted off into contented sleep. Aria was lulled by the steady breathing of her soulmate next to her and the potent and beautiful scents of his body and the roses by her bedside.

* * *

Aria awoke the next morning and was slightly upset when she realized Lucius wasn't lying next to her. She had no idea when he woke up in the night or morning and had left, but she knew they both had work that day and perhaps he had left to go get ready. She rolled over facing the gorgeous vase of flowers and saw he had placed one of the white roses on the side of the bed he had been laying in all night. She smiled and picked up the rose and brought it to her nose, breathing in its floral scent and just a hint of Lucius. She could practically swoon.

It was a beautiful sunny day in London, and she dressed in a comfortable, yet classy, white flowy summer dress, which highlighted her gorgeous legs and her sun kissed skin. She decided to walk to work today, wanting to enjoy the weather and the stroll down the park towards the magical telephone boxes which would take her down to the Ministry.

Once she got to work, she was instantly greeted by some of her fellow colleagues in the program, including Pepper.

"Aria! I just heard the news about your success in Scotland! Congrats girl!"

"Thank you so much!" Aria said as she gave Pepper a quick hug. "How have you all been here? I've missed everyone."

"We have been good here. Just all busy as usual. We should get lunch together."

Aria agreed heartily. Lunch would work perfectly since it was an afternoon outing. She liked to now leave her nights open for Lucius. Her belly lurched pleasantly at the thought of Lucius. He was probably on the floor right now in his office. Almost as if a magnet was attracting her to him, she started walking in the direction of his office.

"Oh…I um…I just remembered I have to ask Luc..I mean Mr. Malfoy about borrowing some more books…" Aria fibbed, as she kept walking in the direction of his office leaving Pepper standing confused at the sudden abrupt ending of their conversation.

"Oh ok! See you later for lunch then?"

"Ya, definitely!" said Aria who was already out of sight.

Aria arrived at Lucius' office door, which was open, as if waiting for her presence. She saw him sitting there at his desk, gorgeous and serene in his black robes, his hair tied back today with a silk ribbon. God, he looked so gorgeous like that. His eyes lit up at the sight of her. He stood up and in two strides he was next to her. He shut the door and then immediately grabbed her behind her neck and pulled her in for a crushing and passionate kiss. It was always as if they hadn't seen each other for years, not hours. She hoped that feeling would never end, and she knew it wouldn't. She moaned into his mouth at the pleasure of feeling him again.

"I didn't want to wake you," he said huskily as he pulled back from the kiss.

She smiled up at him, her green eyes beaming with love. His gorgeous smile played across his lips back at her. With his long dexterous fingers, he reached down under her dress until they found her heated core. She was wearing the laciest of panties and he could already feel her getting wet for him. She heard his guttural groan emit from his throat. She adored how animalistic he could sometimes sound, and she moaned back loudly in response. Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door, and Lucius brought his other hand up to cover her mouth, to stifle her moans of pleasure. It both scared and excited her greatly. Her blood prickled at the forbidden excitement of almost being caught. His other hand was still caught between her legs.

"Mr. Malfoy!" said one of the Ministry assistants. "They are requiring all mentees and mentors to report to Room A immediately for an urgent meeting."

"Yes, alright. Thank you," was all he managed to say. They waited until they heard the footsteps walking away down the marble hall and they both let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God she didn't just open the door!" Aria laughed breathily.

He kissed her hard one more time before sitting back down at his desk. Aria looked at him confused as to why he wasn't coming with her.

"You go first, and I will wait a bit. Just as to not cause any suspicion," he smirked.

"Ok. See you at the meeting," she smiled widely and sweetly and blew him a kiss as she walked out the door.

She made her way to the meeting room and saw Pepper and Hermione sitting in the far corner and grabbed a seat next to them.

"Do you guys know what this is about?" asked Aria.

"No, but look; Arthur Tedon looks concerned…and slightly mad," said Hermione, as she observed the wizard who was standing in the middle of the room ready for everyone to join.

After a minute or two, Lucius' long, graceful body made its way in the room. Aria's instinct was to run up to him and immediately throw herself upon him and shower him with love and kisses. It was so weird how intensely their relationship had developed, and now here they were, back in the room where they first saw each other. It was hard to imagine a time before Lucius, Aria thought to herself. Before their love was discovered and had blossomed.

Lucius sat purposefully across the room, but with the perfect vantage point to stare directly at Aria. She looked so beautiful to him sitting across the room in her flowy, white dress; her skin illuminated and still slightly flushed from their almost being caught. She looked so gorgeous, and he smirked the faintest of a smirk on his lips, that only she would be able to notice.

She smiled slightly and bit her lower lip in the most unintentionally sexy way. Lucius hardened immediately, he had to look away briefly and was slightly distracted when Arthur began speaking.

"Thank you all for coming. Sorry to interrupt your work day with this unscheduled meeting, but I felt I must tell you all of some distressing news," he began looking extremely stressed and concerned. "I wanted to let you all know that one of the new Ambassadors to the program, Paulo, has recently been found…his memory has been skillfully and intensely wiped to the point of delirium…he was found wandering the cliffs of Cornwall…"

The room buzzed with mentors and mentees all leaning in and talking to each other nervously. Aria was vaguely aware of Pepper trying to say something to her, but all Aria could do was stare with wide, scared, eyes at Lucius across the room. She wanted to run to him; wanted him to hold her in his arms and tell her it was ok. She was frightened. She hadn't minded Paulo's recent absence. She chalked it up to maybe him being away on assignment or him intentionally trying to avoid her, she in any case had definitely been avoiding him at all costs. She couldn't tell by Lucius's typically stoic face what he was thinking. She was feeling so many emotions. On one hand she was terrified that there was someone out there wiping the memories of people, especially newcomers, which she herself was. On the other hand, she was concerned that she was probably the last person who had seen Paulo since his disappearance, and she didn't want an investigation or anything to get out about what had happened that horrible night. All she could think and do at that moment was to stare into Lucius' eyes and hope she could get lost in those grey depths and forget the emotions she was feeling.


	10. Chapter 10- Comfort

**Please review! :)**

* * *

Arthur ended the meeting only after making sure all of the witches and wizards in the room made sure to be vigilant and safe and he vowed that he and the Ministry would get to the bottom of the situation. This made Aria's stomach turn unpleasantly. Mostly everyone stayed in their seats and chatted and gossiped amongst themselves, but instinctually at the same time, both Aria and Lucius got up from their seats and left the room and went straight to his office. No one noticed them leaving together, since everyone else was so absorbed in their own conversations.

Aria made it into Lucius' office first, the scent of him an instant comfort to her nerves, and he was there beside her quick enough as he shut the door behind them hastily. The instant his door was closed, Aria turned to him and practically fell into his arms. He held on to her tight, wanting to make her feel safe and protected.

"Lucius, I'm scared," she said as she still clung to him, her face buried in his chest. "I had wanted that nightmare with Paulo to be left behind, and now here it is back again, out in the open for everyone to see. I don't want them to know he attacked me that night…I don't want to be involved in this case…" she said, her tears starting to fall.

Lucius said nothing, but instinctively stroked her soft blond hair, and gently rocked her back and forth in his arms.

"Now there is someone after the new-comers too…erasing our memories…attacking us…" she said through her tears.

Lucius slightly tensed at that. He couldn't tell her that Paulo had in fact been attacked and memory wiped by him, and that there was no wizard out there specifically attacking the ambassadors, but at the same time he really didn't want her to worry about possibly being attacked. He wanted to do nothing but keep her safe and let her know that he would keep her protected no matter what.

"Aria, I will keep you safe. You have nothing to fear my love," he said as he continued stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. He felt a slight pang of guilt at keeping the truth from her, but he wasn't ready for her to face his darker side yet, nor was he ready to really confront it himself. However, he knew that he had done what he did for her sake and because that vile man had tried to harm her. He knew he would move heaven, hell, the whole universe, just for the sake of the woman he held in his arms. If there was an investigation by the Ministry and he was found out, he would admit to his treatment of Paulo, but he hoped they would leave Aria alone. He didn't want her to have to face that night again.

After a while, she finally calmed down, the scent of the man she loved, lulling her into comfort. She wanted to feel safe like this forever. She knew the next few days, while the uncertainty around them grew, she wouldn't want to be alone and so she asked him the only thing she could think of at that moment.

"Lucius…can I stay with you the next few days at the Manor? I don't feel safe spending time alone in my flat."

Lucius cupped her beautiful face in his hands and leaned it upwards so that she was looking up into his eyes.

"You don't even have to ask," he said giving her a soft smile. He so desperately wanted to just ask her to move in with him all together; something he had wanted to ask before, but he still wasn't sure that is what she wanted yet. Their relationship had moved fast as it was, he would wait for her to make that call. "I was hoping you would be with me during the nights anyways," he said through a naughty smirk.

That made Aria laugh a bit and smile beautifully, something which lightened Lucius' emotions and guilt about the situation. Her smile, as bright as the sun, could always do that to him.

She wiped the last of her tears and reached her hands up to cup his face as well, so that the two of them held each other in tender embraces.

"I always need you during the night…and during the day…actually all of the time…" she laughed again, her mood brightening considerably.

He leaned down and kissed her deeply, reveling in her taste, which always reminded him of pure honey and sunshine. He moaned into her mouth at the pleasure she pulled from him. He felt his groin instantly hardening and he knew he should stop at that moment, otherwise he would need to have her right then and there.

He quickly changed the subject, looking back down into her green eyes, the two were still wrapped in each other's' embrace.

"I have something to show you that you might find rather enjoyable as well. In one of the books I showed you on your first visit to the Manor," he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief and magic. Aria cocked her head to the side in open interested curiosity.

"Speaking of books; have you been reading the books I gave you to read as a part of your research?" he said his eyebrows raising up in fake authority. "I am your mentor after all, and I need to make sure you are following orders."

Aria's stomach tingled with need at his words. Although she knew he was teasing her, his dominance and authority over her did rather excite her. She smirked up at him and batted her eyes.

"Yes Sir," she said quite innocently. "I had finished two of them while in Scotland, on the nights that I wasn't…distracted…"

"Oh really? Now what was distracting you I wonder…" he said as he tightened his grip on her.

"I was visited…by a wizard…or maybe a God-like figure…I can't quite be sure…" she said, now fully smiling and blushing a faint pink.

The two lovers both loved the banter going back and forth between them now. The sensual teasing and play on dominance and innocence was enough to drive them both crazy with lust and desire. Any previous worries or concerns Aria had from the meeting a few minutes ago was instantly wiped away by Lucius and his presence, body and mind. She knew she had made the right decision on staying at his Manor for the next couple of days.

"I have something for you as well, from Scotland…" Aria said now more seriously. "It isn't much, but I wanted to give it to you."

Lucius turned serious as well, but a faint smile played on his lips and he leaned in and kissed her sweetly. He had been touched. No one had ever thought of him like that or gotten him gifts. People were always expecting things from him when it came to gifts or money, even his own son and ex-wife had rarely ever thought of him like that, unless it was Christmas. He was genuinely touched, and again, this young woman touched his heart more than she knew.

Aria became slightly lightheaded with longing as he continued to kiss her more and more passionately; the scent of him overwhelming in the best of ways. But she knew she had to get some work done following her recent trip and then she had her lunch with Pepper in a few hours. Aria was slightly dreading it now because of the meeting and knew that would be all that Pepper wanted to talk about, however it would be nice to get out with a friend for a bit.

With one more final longing look, Aria kissed him sweetly and then squeezed his hands one more time before she started making her way out of his office.

"I will see you later tonight my love," she said not breaking his stare as she opened the door. Lucius looked at her the entire time, the intensity of his feelings of love for her burning in his eyes. He didn't take his gaze from her until she was fully out of his office and walking down the hall back to work. He truly did adore that witch.

* * *

Aria luckily got caught up in her work, as she summarized her work trip and its success in which it would be submitted to the Ministry to keep track of her progress. She felt quite satisfied and when lunch time finally rolled around, Aria was pleasantly surprised to see that she had been able to distract herself enough to forget about this morning.

Pepper arrived by her desk at noon and the two young witches decided they would go back up to the Muggle world to grab a bit to eat. They decided on a fashionably cute café which resembled a dollhouse more than an actual restaurant, but the two of them found it charming, and the cafe specialized in teas and macarons, but also had some delightful lunch options.

After the witches ordered their teas and delicious looking raspberry and vanilla macarons, they waited for their actual lunches to arrive. As they sat, Pepper stared intently at Aria, who was happily munching on a pink macaron.

"Girl, I thought you would be definitely needing to talk after that surprise meeting this morning. You left so suddenly I didn't have time to ask if you were doing alright."

Aria looked up from her treat and sighed. She knew this was coming, and perhaps it would be good to talk to a friend about the situation, even if the subject was hard for her to think about.

"Well at first, I was really upset about it…I still am actually," Aria said as she popped the last of the macaron into her mouth, the delicious and sweet crunch of the macaron instantly filling her with comfort. "I just had wanted to forget that whole night. I wanted to forget that horrible man. When I hadn't seen him at work, I thought I had been just doing a good job of avoiding him…I didn't realize I was probably the last person to see him that night…" she trailed off looking out ahead of her.

"I know that night was so hard on you," Pepper said sympathetically. "I hadn't seen him since that night either, although I didn't even realize that not seeing him for the week after meant that something had happened to him. Do you think someone is after us in the ambassador's program?"

"That is what I am worried about," said Aria agreeing, taking a sip of her tea. "I am more worried though that I will be pulled into an investigation. Arthur told us they were going to use any means necessary…if they find out I am the last person he saw…" Aria looked down and shuddered. "I just really wanted to forget that night and I don't want to be involved. I feel humiliated and ashamed that it ever even happened. It makes me feel…weak…" she trailed off again.

Pepper quickly grabbed her friend by the hand and squeezed it tight. "Aria, don't ever feel ashamed about what happened! It wasn't your fault. I hate to say this but seeing how much pain you were in…well…he got what he deserved I think!"

Aria smiled slightly at Pepper, loving her friend's loyalty and her stance on the situation. Aria agreed that while she definitely couldn't imagine wiping anyone else's' memory, she didn't feel remorse or sympathy towards what happened to Paulo at all.

"I agree Pepper. All I am saying is that I don't want the Ministry to know that it happened to me. I want to just be normal and have people focus on me and my work, not what happened to me one night. I hate gossip and rumors and I don't want any of that."

"I understand," said Pepper, agreeing with her sentiments. "Well, if you don't want to go back to work today, I can cover for you…tell them you went home sick or something like that."

"Oh, you're too sweet, but I think I am okay. I need the distractions of work. Besides, I felt much better after talking with Lucius about it this morning," she said nonchalantly.

"Oh Lucius…" Pepper said eyeing her friend skeptically but with a smirk on her face. "You know…speaking of rumor and gossip…I have to ask, what is it with you two?"

Aria blushed deeply not helping her situation in any case. She knew Pepper was teasing her, but Aria wasn't sure if telling Pepper about their true relationship was a good idea.

"You're blushing!" Pepper said as she laughed breathily. "Aria are you in love?" She teased some more.

"He is my mentor! A very good one at that too!" Aria said, her blush still stinging her cheeks.

"How good?" Pepper retorted back with a wink. "Aria, every woman knows that Lucius is the most _beautiful_ wizard at the Ministry, if not in all of the UK…I mean every woman practically drools over him. I wouldn't blame you for developing a crush on him. Although everyone wishes his personality matched his looks…"

Aria laughed at the whole craziness of the conversation. Pepper didn't actually realize how close she was to guessing the truth, even if she was joking. Although Aria was rather amused at her words "crush." Her and Lucius' relationship transcended that completely. He was her soul mate and their love and feelings for each other couldn't be described in such simple terms.

"He is really rather wonderful once you get to know him," Aria retorted.

" _Wonderful_ huh? Ya…you definitely love him," Pepper laughed as she continued to tease. "But Aria you can't! He is a dark wizard. He is bad news."

"Perhaps in his past, but he has treated me with nothing but respect and kindness," Aria said truthfully. She was starting to get a little annoyed at the direction of the conversation and was delighted when their food arrived so they would be too distracted eating to continue. She refused to think of Lucius as anything but the amazing man that she knew and was rather tired of people telling her about his past. All she cared about was focusing on their future.

After lunch Aria headed back to work but was beginning to grow restless as she began to crave Lucius again. She always found it odd yet amazing at how her body and mind reacted from being away from Lucius for too long. It was so unlike her, to rely so much on someone else. She had been independent her entire young life, but now she found her soul was irrevocably tethered to Lucius and she loved it. When the clock hit 5pm, she instantly got up to leave. She would grab a few things from her flat and then apparate to the Manor.

She used one of the Ministry fireplaces to Floo powder back to her flat and packed a few of her essential things. She didn't want the beautiful roses Lucius had gotten her to die while she was away so she muttered a tiny frozen-in-time charm so that they would be preserved in freshness when she arrived back. She also made sure to pack the little item she got in Scotland for Lucius to give to him tonight.

* * *

She dressed in her most comfy black cashmere sweater and black tights and black boots. She laughed as she looked at herself in the mirror and noticed she had worn all black. Lucius seemed to be rubbing off on her and her fashion sense. With one last look around, she was anxious to get out of her flat and she quickly apparated to Malfoy Manor. She arrived dizzily on the front doorstep, but the sight of the impressive place made her instantly feel comforted and at home. She didn't even have time to knock when she saw the large front door open wide and the form of her lover loomed over her, tall and powerful, his platinum hair shining almost silver in the evening twilight. He was dressed in a simple but elegant black button up shirt and tight-fitting black trousers. He looked divine and she reveled in being able to see his muscular form under his tight-fitting clothing.

"You are beautiful," was all she could say as she looked at him in adoration.

He smirked at her and pulled her in close and shut the door behind them. They stood in the grand entry way for a while just holding each other close and breathing the other in, but then Lucius noticed she still had her bag over her shoulder, so he took it from her and led her upstairs and into her favorite room of the house, the feminine Georgian styled one where her gold masquerade dress was stored.

"We will keep your belongings in here, but you will stay with me in my room of course," he said with a spark in his eye.

"But of course," she replied back running both of her hands over his taught chest. She felt him instantly shudder in pleasure at her touch.

"Come. I have prepared us to have a special dinner tonight, in celebration of you coming to stay for the next few days…or however long you wish to stay…" he said seductively.

He reached his hand out to her and she instantly grabbed it. He started leading her back down the stairs and towards the outside parterre, the night they had spent a lot of the masquerade together. In fact, she hadn't been outside back in the grounds since that night, and it was lovely to be back. She thought he might lead her to their spot in the secluded grove with the fountain of the cupid, that night they had first kissed, among other things, but instead he lead her straight ahead, past the perfectly manicured lawns and flower beds and hedges until they reached an open grassy field.

Aria gasped in wonder at the view as it overlooked a gorgeous mountain range and valley, with a river that ran through at the bottom of the valley. It was all green and wonderous and it looked like she entered a completely different world. In the middle of the grassy field overlooking the landscape, was a white blanket with a delicious spread of food that hovered enchantedly slightly over the blanket. A chandelier that was suspended in thin air hung over it all, and cast the setting in a beautiful golden glow.

"It's perfect!" she said as she threw her arms around her lover and kissed him deeply. "You always know how to be so romantic and thoughtful," she said breathily as she looked up at him with love. "Were you always this romantic?"

He shrugged with a nonchalant look on his face. "You deserve it," was all he said back. "Now come and eat," he said leading her over to sit down on the soft blanket.

They enjoyed their romantic meal together under the dusky blue sky. The stars hadn't quite come out yet, and the chandelier above gave them enough light to eat their meal. They chatted and sometimes just stared at each other in silent adoration. Aria told Lucius about her interesting lunch with Pepper, and how Pepper had been teasing her about having feelings for him.

"She said all women drool over you," Aria said with a small laugh, but she couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy. She knew she had nothing to be jealous of though.

Lucius face briefly contorted disgust. "Sounds absolutely dreadful…" he drawled.

Lucius knew that women often stared and lusted after him. Back when he was young, he definitely would have appreciated that, however he had been raised with a sense of loyalty to all things important in his life. He had been that way with Narcissa, his ex-wife, and had not strayed from the marital bed, even when their marriage had been loveless for years. And now, there was no way he would ever stray from Aria. She was the most perfect creature on this Earth to him, and no woman or Goddess could ever compare to her. To him, there was no need for any other woman. He realized he hadn't even looked at another woman since he had first seen Aria that very first day she came to the Ministry. He surprised even himself with this thought.

"She also can see that I am in love with you…" Aria continued on blushing yet again. "I guess I can't hide my emotions very well."

"And what did you tell her?" He asked plainly.

"I simply said you were my mentor. And a wonderful one at that," said Aria.

Lucius nodded. It had been the right thing to do.

"Do you think we will have to keep our love a secret forever Lucius?" Aria asked looking, genuinely concerned.

"No, my love, not forever," he said as he reached up and brushed her hair behind her ear, in a loving gesture. "I want people to know you for you though, for a bit longer. If they see I am with you, they might judge you on my past, and that is the last thing I would want to hang over you as a dark cloud…" he said looking out towards the distance.

"I am not ashamed of you Lucius," she said fiercely. She felt a pang of sadness in her heart at Lucius' worry for his reputation to be put onto her. He shouldn't have to live in his solitude and shame forever.

He looked at her with such a sense of love at that statement, that she felt as if she would almost weep. His own eyes were wet and glassy looking, as he tried to control his emotions. So many people in his life had told him how ashamed they were of him after the War, so to have this gorgeous and perfect woman in front of him saying she was not ashamed of him made his heart burst in happiness.

"I have brought your gift too," Aria smiled as she reached into her pocket and drew out a tiny wrapped parcel with a silver ribbon. She handed it to him delicately.

Lucius undid the ribbon and withdrew a smooth grey stone in the shape of a crescent moon and at his touch the stone glowed from within, almost as if a flame was trapped inside. He looked at it in wonder and then back at her.

She blushed slightly. "I know it isn't much, but I picked it up that night we were in the stone circle in Scotland. That night was so magical and intense and before we left, I saw it on the ground in the middle of the circle…the stone looked like the moon, which reminds me of you…so I grabbed it…" she said shyly. "I enchanted it with the Lumos Interius spell that you used on us that night. Again, I know it isn't much. I can of course never compare to all of the lovely and magical things you give me b-"she was cut off from her ramblings by Lucius urgent and warm mouth on hers. He kissed her passionately for what seemed like a very long while, until he finally pulled away.

"Aria, this is the most thoughtful and wonderful gift I have ever received," he said his eyes misting over again. "I absolutely love it…just as I love you," he said kissing her again passionately.

"You have given me so much…I wanted to give you something back. I know it isn't much," she began rambling again, but he put his finger up to her lips to silence her and stared into her eyes intently; he was staring straight into her soul and she was entranced. She couldn't break the gaze.

"You give me everything just by loving me," said Lucius seriously. "I don't need anything else. My whole life I have wanted for nothing; I was spoiled, and I got whatever I wanted…but I have never had this…unconditional love…and you have given me that, and that is all I want."

Aria looked at him longingly as tears welled up in her eyes and fell over. She needed him so badly in that moment that she couldn't stop herself. With a flick of her wand, the food and plates disappeared, and she immediately got up and quickly started undressing herself in front of him.

All Lucius could do was stare up at the gorgeous woman standing before him, revealing herself, body and soul to him. She stripped herself of her clothing in record time and she stood before him completely naked. He stared at her beauty, looking ethereal in the quickly darkening sky, the hovering chandelier casting a soft glow over her body. He was still entranced as he watched her lean back down onto the blanket and reached for his shirt. It amazed him how fast she got the buttons undone without popping any of them, and her lips were instantly at his smooth, muscled chest. She kissed tenderly at first, but then her kisses became more intense and she began not only kissing him but licking and sucking all over his chest. He groaned aloud at the sensations of her ministrations to his upper body.

As much as he loved Aria taking control, his growing erection began crying out for more, so he quickly kicked off his shoes, unzipped his trousers and pulled them away in one single swipe, so that he finally was as naked as she was. He took back some of the control and grabbed her by the waist and laid her down so that she was laying on her side. He followed her down onto his side as well so that they were lying face to face, so reminiscent of the image of the lovers in the Soul Prophesies book. It always came back to that for them; the moment when they knew that they were truly soul mates.

With a look of fierce intensity into her wide eyes, he strongly and almost forcefully grabbed her left leg and wrapped it around his waist so that his throbbing cock would be able to slide easily and urgently into her tight, wet heat at the perfect angle. With one solid motion, he plunged into her, causing her to cry out loudly in the sudden feeling of being so instantly full. His huge cock stretching her inside walls in the most delicious sensation. He let her adjust for a few brief seconds before he started thrusting into her, in and out, in and out. The whole time they never broke gazes and his strong hands clung to her thigh as he held her leg over him; later she would see bruises in the exact shape of his fingertips.

He made love to her with such adoration and she delighted in the feeling of him; not too gentle but also not too demanding; just perfect. Their moans became louder and louder as the sky grew darker and darker and more stars began to come out. Lucius felt as if with each thrust and moan, another star would appear in the sky; purposefully coming out to witness their love. As with their time at the stone circle, it always seemed as if Mother Nature seemed to embrace the passion and the love between the two, almost as if the world had planned this union to happen. Both of them were getting close to their climax, they were practically screaming out into the night air.

"I want to come with you Lucius…" Aria said through a furrowed brow and a loud moan of pleasure.

That one thought sent Lucius instantly over the edge as he screamed out, "Now my love… _now_!"

Aria felt his initial spurts of pleasure enter her deep inside, and the sudden warmth and throbbing of his cock then sent her over the edge with him as her walls suddenly began spasming all over him. The pulsating tightness milked his cock so deliciously, he thought he might pass out from the pleasure. Coming together was like going straight to heaven, and they both did not want to come back down.

They lay together, still intertwined, still connected for many long minutes, letting the crisp night air cool their heated bodies. Their passion and love had kept them warm during their coupling. Aria felt herself almost falling asleep, as she was so comforted by not only the man inside of her but by her surroundings. Lucius traced his right hand over the gorgeous swell of her hips, and his fingertips left her skin tingling with gooseflesh.

After a while, Lucius felt Aria so relaxed that he noticed she was breathing deeply and realized she had fallen asleep. He laughed slightly to himself. He knew she had had a very long day filled with stress early on and he let her stay asleep as he studied her. Her face was so beautiful he almost thought it was as if she was a statue come to life. Her eyes were closed so her long black lashes brushed on the upper part of her cheek. Her full lips were a naturally dark pink and so plush he longed to kiss her right at that moment. Her blond hair fanned out around her like a halo and she truly was an angel at that moment.

Not wanting to wake her but wanting them to get out of the night air that was becoming more and more cold by the minute, Lucius slowly withdrew himself from her, immediately regretting the loss of her warm, velvet heat. He gently removed her leg from around his hip and stood up, stretching slightly, as he was sore from laying on the ground for a while. The moonlight and stars reflected off of his pale, muscular body and he looked other worldly as he stretched his body out. It would have been a sight for Aria to see if she were awake. He leaned down and picked her up, so that he carried her in his arms and he apparated them back to the manor, in his bedroom. Lucius had always been good at apparating and felt no dizziness at all, and Aria was still, luckily, sound asleep. Seeing her so peaceful and comforted, made Lucius start to feel rather tired himself, so he laid them down on the bed and covered them both with the soft down comforter, and instantly joined her in sleep. Little did they know how different tomorrow would be.


	11. Chapter 11- Good & Bad Surprises

**Please Review!! :)**

* * *

Aria awoke the next morning feeling incredibly well rested. She didn't even remember how she got into bed last night, but she knew it had to have been Lucius who brought them back upstairs. She looked to her right, where her gorgeous lover was, he was still asleep, and she had never seen him so peaceful. He looked so young and vibrant and she adored how his full, wide mouth was slightly open as he slept. Little did she know, he had stared at her the same way last night when she had first fallen asleep. The two of them could never comprehend how much adoration they felt for one another.

Somehow, as if he had a sense that he was being watched, Lucius slowly opened his eyes, the grey of them so crystal clear, and looked over to the woman next to him, who was intently watching him. He smiled slightly at her and then reached out his arm and pulled her in close to his body, holding her incredibly tight. Aria moaned in delight at the sudden closeness between them, as she buried her face into his perfect chest.

"Good morning," he said huskily. Aria reveled in the sound of his deep voice as her ear rested on the side of his chest. She felt and heard the reverberations of his gorgeous, honeyed voice deep in her ear.

"Mmmm good morning," she said as she held him tighter around the waist.

"Care to play hooky today?" Lucius asked with a slight chuckle. He couldn't bear to stomach going to work today, not while he had Aria back at the Manor with him.

Aria thought about it for a little bit, but then realized she would love nothing more than to spend a day here at the Manor just enjoying each other's company. She felt bad for missing work, but she had been so productive lately that she knew one day wouldn't hurt.

"Well only if my mentor allows me," she giggled into his chest.

"Oh, I spoke to him already and he said absolutely yes," Lucius smirked.

They lay there a bit just holding each other tightly, when Lucius then remembered he had never shown her what he had wanted to yesterday, as they had been quite distracted and then tired. He knew she would love what he had to show her, as it involved quite a bit of fancy magic.

"Remember yesterday I had wanted to show you something? That is what I would like to show you today. I think you will love it," he said.

"I am sure I will. Sorry to have gotten so sidetracked last night," she laughed again into his chest.

"Mmm" was all he responded back as he remembered their passionate coupling from the night before. Each time was always so special in its own way.

They eventually got up, put on their silk bed robes, and made their way down to the library. Aria had missed this room and she smiled when she saw the 18th century harpsicord glistening in gilded splendor as the morning sun poured in through the large windows and illuminated it. Lucius saw her smile and stare at the instrument and with a flick of his wand, the song that he had composed for her began playing magically from it. Aria's heart fluttered in happiness at hearing her special song again. It was the first gift Lucius had bestowed on her, and each time she heard the beautiful song, she thought of dancing with him at the masquerade, when their love really started to bloom.

Aria sat down in one of the plush chairs and closed her eyes and contentedly listened to the song, while Lucius went to one of the many grand bookshelves and pulled out the book he had showed Aria on her first trip to the Manor, _French Witches and Wizards of the Royal Court._ Lucius' house elf silently came into the room and put a delightful breakfast of tea, croissants and fruit in front of Aria, which she didn't notice since her eyes were still closed. Lucius smiled slightly and nodded in appreciation towards his elf, not wanting to speak aloud in case he was to break Aria's trance. When the song finally ended, Aria opened her eyes and saw the delicious spread of food in front of her and laughed slightly at its sudden appearance.

"When did this appear?"

"When you were listening to your song. My house elf came in. She is a master of stealth," he joked.

"This is why I should never close my eyes in this house. Too much magic and surprises around every corner. If you close your eyes for a minute, you will surely miss something amazing," she laughed as she reached for the tea and poured them two cups.

Lucius smiled at her, and joined her for a quick breakfast, during which Aria had requested a piece of parchment and a quill to send a note to the Ministry to let them know of her absence today.

"Do you need to send in a note too?" Aria asked Lucius.

Lucius just scoffed at her and raised his eyebrows in defiance. "My dear, I would not lower myself to such submission. Besides, the Ministry only really pays attention to what I am doing if they need money or patronage…or if I do something…naughty…" he scoffed again.

Aria rolled her eyes at him, but at the same time, secretly loved his defiance. Perhaps since she had always played by the rules and was always on her most professional behavior at things like school or work, she secretly admired people who were like Lucius. Naughtiness just suited him so well sometimes. Her lower belly tingled in longing at the thought of Lucius being naughty, and an involuntary faint blush rose to her cheeks, to which Lucius noticed.

He stared at her for a few long seconds and then uttered the words he was thinking, "You are exquisite."

Aria's blush deepened.

After breakfast, and with her note sent off with an owl to the Ministry, Lucius helped Aria out of her seat and brought her to the table where he had laid down the book.

"Remember when I showed you your ancestor, the Marquise De La Cour, from the court of Louis XIV?" he asked her as he turned to the page which featured her beautiful ancestor, who smiled up at them from her page.

"Yes of course," said Aria, as she smiled back down at the page.

"I am not sure if you have ever heard of the _Vitae Imaginem_ spell, but it might be fun to try it on this photo, to create an echo…in a way… bring her out of the book and into our world for a bit," he said with a smirk. "I have done it many times with many of the portraits in the Manor. It can be quite illuminating."

"Oh, Lucius that would be so amazing…but isn't this technically raising someone from the dead? That is forbidden!"

"No, not raising from the dead technically. We are creating more of an echo of the past…more like bringing this image to life, rather than the actual person…although the image does have the knowledge and memories of the person…" he said, his naughty smirk growing wider. "The spell doesn't last too long anyways. Maybe about 5-10 minutes, depending on how strong the connection is."

She smirked back and her rising excitement at the prospect of being able to interact in a way with one of her ancestors was too much. "Let's do it," she said, her green eyes shining with anticipation.

With his own grey eyes shining back, Lucius raised his wand confidently and pointed it at the moving image of the Marquise in the book and uttered the spell, _Vitae Imaginem._ At first Aria didn't notice anything different, but then she saw a gold mist rising up out of the book, almost like the smoke coming out of a genie's lamp, was the best way to describe it. She subconsciously reached her hand out to grasp Lucius' hand, and he returned her excitement by holding her hand tightly in his grip. The gold mist began filling the space in front of them and started to take shape from the ground up, as Aria began seeing her ancestor begin to appear more clearly.

Aria first saw her wide-hipped 17th century dress, beautifully designed and intricate and then saw the tapering of her narrow waist, then up to her amble bosoms, which were very common back then as women's breasts were often pushed up by their corsets; and then up to her long elegant neck and finally her beautiful face began to take shape. Aria noted that her mouth was exceptionally similar to her own and then finally the woman's eyes and her hair, which was piled high on her head. The form of the woman was about Aria's height and, at first, she remained looking golden in color and misty still, almost half-formed; but then more solid colors began to fill her out. Her dress started turning a deep burgundy colored silk with trims in gold and black, and her skin was smooth, gorgeous and pale, with a slight blush to her bosom and cheeks. Her eyes filled in as green as Aria's and her hair was very blond; blonder than Aria's hair, it was actually very similar to Lucius' platinum locks.

The woman was finally all there; solid and impressive in front of Lucius and Aria. They both stared in wonder at the magnificent woman, who was looking around the room as if confused by how she got there. Aria felt a pang guilt, as she realized that this was probably extremely confusing for the Marquise. Aria stepped forward demurely, which instantly brought the Marquise's attention to her, who looked at Aria with wide green eyes. Aria stared back with the same eyes.

"Hi…Hello!" said Aria cheerily, with a warm smile, wanting to be a comforting presence. "I think I am your many times great granddaughter…on my father's side."

The Marquise smiled and nodded her head. She spoke back, her voice thick with a French accent, but crystal clear, and it made Aria's mind spin with amazement that she was actually having a conversation with her ancestor.

"Oui. I believe you are indeed. The eyes. The mouth," said the Marquise as she pointed to her green eyes and luscious lips.

"I have so much I wish to speak with you about, but we don't have much time…" Aria said biting her lip slightly in thought as she decided what were some of her most burning questions to ask. "What is it like being in the court of King Louis XIV? I wish I could come back with you to experience it myself!"

The Marquise smiled widely. "It is rather a glorious thing, my granddaughter. To hold the King's mind and heart is a responsibility we take very seriously. He is Divine and we help him to bring glory to France."

Aria smiled at that. She loved how loyal her great-grandmother seemed. She knew that she had that same sense of loyalty about her as well.

"Does King Louis know you are a witch?" was Aria's next question.

"Mais, oui! But of course," replied the Marquise. "There are many of us in his court. We help bring a sense of wonder and magic to his surroundings. We also help protect him from any danger."

"Wow…" said Aria in wonder as she took in her great-grandmother's words. Aria so desperately wished she could live in that time and experience that almost other-worldly life. "Do you live in Versailles, Grand-Mere?"

The Marquise smiled delightedly at Aria's use of the French word for Grandma. "Oui! Oh, my dear…it is the most wondrous place you can ever imagine," she said as she looked longingly over Aria's head as if she was imagining Versailles itself right in front of her. "Culture, beauty, art, elegance, abundance. Sublime. It is for the good of the court that we have gotten out of the confines of Paris. Versailles is a new world with so many new possibilities."

Aria smiled widely at her Grandmother's apparent love and adoration for a place that Aria herself had always been fascinated with. Aria's heart broke slightly when she thought about all of the tumultuous history the palace and its following monarchs would have to endure in the coming century, but she would not reveal any of that in this conversation. She wasn't sure if it could have effects on the future.

"And what about you my petite-fille? What are your passions," her grandmother asked, their green eyes meeting.

"Oh, I adore history and I love helping to preserve and honor it. It is why I am so amazed to be speaking to you now," Aria said. "I am talking to history…my own history!"

"Good, very good," said the Marquise as she smiled. "You are honoring history and that means you are so very loyal…and smart," she continued as her eyes sparkled. "But my dear, I can see your greatest passion is here in this room…holding your very hand…" she smirked as she finally looked at Lucius.

Aria had forgotten she had been holding Lucius' hand this whole time, in fact she was squeezing it rather hard in her excitement. Lucius had been so quiet through the whole conversation between the De La Cour women. Aria looked from her grandmother, then to Lucius, who was looking down into her eyes, a soft smile played on his lips. They both looked back at the Marquise together.

"Oui, yes. You two are something beyond passion…" she said as her eyes looked them over, studying them intensely. "You are...ames…ensemble…," she said clasping her hands together as if indicating that they were combined, but shrugging her shoulders as if unable to find the English words to describe her meaning.

"Soul mates," Lucius said so quietly, it was almost to himself.

"Oui," said the Marquise as she smiled in their direction. Suddenly the color from her clothes, hair and skin began slowly fading, almost as if she were turning a dull sepia color. "Oh…" she said as she realized the fading magic herself. "I must go now ma petite-fille," the Marquise reached out her hand and laid it on top of Lucius' and Aria's clasped hands. They couldn't physically feel her hand, but they could slightly feel a buzzing warm feeling, a sign of the magic that now embraced them. "And remember…never let this go. This is the most important, the most magic, passion you will ever know."

"Yes, I know grand-mere. I will never forget that," Aria said as quickly as she could as she noticed the magic was now fading rather fast. The two witches stared at each other until the Marquise was no more than a gold, misty outline. Aria made out briefly her warm smile, before she disappeared altogether. Aria let out a long sigh as she realized she had practically been holding her breath the entire time.

"That was amazing Lucius," she said as she turned to face him. "Thank you for showing me that amazing spell," she said as she hugged him tight against her.

"I knew you would love it," he said as he kissed the top of her head as he breathed in her now familiar scent of roses and vanilla.

"Thank you for showing me that. Do you think she will remember any of what just happened? Will she remember me?"

"The part of her that lives on in the history books and in the photos of her…perhaps not the woman herself who lived in the 1600s'. But yes, a small piece of her soul will know you," he replied.

Aria smiled at that small piece of knowledge. "She saw how strong our bond was too, she knew we were soul mates," said Aria as she stared up into Lucius' eyes.

"Yes," he said as he leaned in and kissed her passionately. Aria moaned at his sudden display of passion and she opened her mouth to let his skilled tongue in, as they explored each other's mouths. Aria stood on her tiptoes as she leaned up even taller to kiss Lucius more deeply. She just adored how tall and strong he was and the fire in her belly was growing increasingly urgent with each second that went by. Through her silk robe and his equally as thin robe, she could feel his magnificent cock rising to attention. She always loved how instantaneously hard she could get him. It made her feel so beautiful and wanted, that a man such as him, should be so instantly aroused by her. The fire in her belly grew even more intense as she felt one of his warm, large hands reach inside the front of her robe and grab her left breast. She groaned in pleasure into his mouth at the sensation.

He massaged and squeezed her firm breasts, and then pinched her nipple, causing it to stand straight to attention. As he felt her nipples hardening, he released a groan of pleasure himself and he ground his hard cock against her, letting her know how much he craved her and needed her in that moment.

"I need you Lucius…make love to me…now…" she said as she undid the tie of his robe from around his waist and ran her finger over his gorgeous bare chest and then down to his stiff cock. She grabbed his cock firmly and pumped it a few times and then ran her thumb over the top which was dripping with pre-cum.

He groaned an animalistic moan of pleasure as his eyes rolled back into his head and his neck fell back with pleasure. He was just about to lean in to undo the tie on her robe as well, when the two of them heard a pop sound. The sound of someone apparating into the main foyer of the Manor. They immediately froze where they were and parted from their embrace. Lucius quickly did back up his robe, and tried his hardest to hide his raging erection, by facing the other way. Who the Hell could possibly be disturbing him now? Although he immediately knew the answer. Only one other person had the access to instantly apparate in and out of the Manor, and that was his son, Draco.

As if right on cue, they both heard Draco's voice echoing off of the grand halls of the Manor.

"Father! Father, are you in?" called Draco.

Aria's first instinct was to hide but she knew she wouldn't have time because at that moment Draco appeared in the doorway of the library and stared in utter bewilderment as he took in the scene of his Father and Aria both in robes looking disheveled and flushed as if they had just being making love. His mouth dropped open in shock. After what seemed like hours, Draco finally spoke, a horrible mix of confusion and anger.

"What's all this?!" He said as he looked from Lucius back to Aria and back to Lucius again.

Aria turned away as a blush formed on her delicate cheeks. She knew how it looked, and he would actually be right in his assumptions. This was definitely not how she wanted his son to find out about them and with Draco's fiery personality, who knew what he would do with this information, regardless that it would be going against his father.

"Well..well…" Draco said with a look of anger, or perhaps even jealousy, "screwing the new girl, are you Father? I mean I can see why; she is incredibly hot. I even wanted her myself when I saw her in Scotland…but really father…she is younger than me! Get a woman your own age eh!" He then looked over at Aria with a disgusted glare. "And you…wow…you were so professional in Scotland I didn't think you had it in you to be a gold-digging whore."

Lucius strode over to his son in two bounds and punched him square in the gut. Draco bent forward in pain as he struggled to breath after having the air knocked out of him.

"Don't you dare ever talk about her that way! Do you understand me!?" Lucius yelled at Draco.

Draco said nothing but looked up at his father, glaring. Aria herself was practically frozen in terror at the scene and she was still standing awkwardly, her thin, silk robe barely covering her body. She shyly crossed her arms in front of her chest to hide herself. After a while she tried to speak.

"I am not a whore…I love-"she began to say until Lucius cut her off.

"No, Aria. You don't need to explain yourself to him. He isn't worth your time…" Lucius stared in disgust at his son and began pacing slightly.

Draco looked at Aria with fury on his face. "You what? You LOVE him?" he said finishing her sentence she was about to say.

Aria didn't say anything back to confirm it, but a rosy blush grew on her cheeks once more and she looked down at her feet to avoid Draco's patronizing gaze.

"I see…" said Draco, finally straightening himself up. He then turned to his father. "Father, can't you see she is just using you? She sees this house, your money and she wants it. She is from America, that is all they want! Otherwise she would be screwing someone her own age! Plus, I can tell just by the look of her she isn't pure blood at all…probably some filthy mudblood…" he said almost spitting his words at her.

Throughout this latest spurt of anger coming from Draco, Aria had begun silently crying tears of rage. The tears were searing hot against her face and from the corner of her eye she saw Lucius about to go and hit his son again for saying such things, but she put her arm out to stop him and instead she made her way up to Draco and slapped him, extremely hard, across his face. So hard it made his cheek bleed.

"THAT IS FOR CALLING ME A MUDBLOOD! I AM A HALF BLOOD BUT NOT THAT ANY OF THAT MATTERS!" she yelled.

She slapped him again hard on the other cheek. "AND THAT IS FOR CALLING ME A WHORE!"

Draco's eyes were closed for a few long seconds as the heat from her slaps radiating throughout his being. He had never been treated so poorly in his entire life.

"How dare you…," continued Aria. Her confidence rising more and more, fueled by her anger. "I LOVE your father. He is everything to me. We share something you will clearly never understand."

Lucius stared at the woman next to him in wonder as he took in this new side of her he had never known existed; he adored it. She had always been so sweet and warm and yes, she had a passionate side, especially when it came to their love making, but he adored this newfound intensity of her passion when it came to standing up for herself; for their love. He smiled down at her and grabbed her hand tightly, as if showing Draco he agreed with everything she had just done and said.

"Is that so?" said Draco finally, in the most cold and piercing voice. "You clearly don't truly know my father, or the Malfoy family, and what we stand for then do you?"

"I care about what your father stands for _now_ in this moment…and that is love. I accept him for his past, present and future."

Draco did nothing but laugh sarcastically. Aria detested the sound of it.

"That's interesting you say that, considering why I came today," said Draco, as his cold eyes looked back towards his father. "I wanted to talk to my Father about his dark past actually, as it might be of interest to the Ministry, and to you. I'm actually quite happy now that you will be here to witness our conversation, as it might change your mind and your _little declaration of love_ will be all for nothing…" Draco smirked.

Lucius' gaze hardened as he stared at his son. He was so disappointed and so ashamed, things he had never felt before towards his son, but after the War, and after meeting Aria and discovering true love, he couldn't believe he had been capable of raising such a child. It made him feel sick.

"What do you want Draco? Why are you here?" said Lucius, his voice quiet but icy.

"News is spreading fast Father," said Draco, his sly smirk still plastered on his face. "The news that one of the new ambassadors was found confused and wandering alone…far from London…his memory was expertly wiped…"

Aria, who was still clutching Lucius' hand, began slightly shaking from both her rage and also now her fear of where this conversation was going. She couldn't seem to escape Paulo. Lucius felt her shaking and held her hand tightly as if willing her to be comforted by his touch.

"And…what's your point Draco?" Lucius asked, although he was getting nervous at where his son was going with this.

"Well, I thought to myself for a bit when I heard the news. Who did I know who was participating in the ambassador's program, that would have the ability to pull off such a task of completely destroying a person's mind? My dear Father, that sounds quite like you don't you think…" Draco said his smirk widening and his cold eyes piercing his father's. Aria could do nothing but look back and forth between Draco and Lucius.

"Are you making a formal accusation Draco?" Lucius said stoically. His voice and face showing no emotion whatsoever.

"Perhaps…" Draco replied as he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Depends on what you have to say to the situation Father."

Lucius said nothing but just stared at Draco for what seemed like hours. He couldn't comprehend why his son would purposefully try to go out of his way to cause trouble for him. Since the War they hadn't been close, that was true, but this was something else. The hatred he felt from his son crushed him. Finally, Aria spoke quietly into his ear as the silence in the room began growing thick with the truth of the situation.

"Lucius say something. Is it true?" she said, her watery green eyes looking desperately into his. Lucius turned his gaze away he couldn't quite face her with the truth.

Draco saw this and it all but confirmed it for him.

"See I told you! No one else I knew would be capable of doing this. I knew it…" said Draco through his sneering face. "What did I tell you…little girl…" he said sarcastically at her.

Aria stood there in shock. While she didn't want to believe Draco, she could tell by Lucius' face and his silence that it was true. If it wasn't, he would be combatting it, but she knew in that moment that Lucius had memory wiped Paulo.

When no one answered or spoke up, Draco smiled triumphantly and began to make his way out of the room, but not before Lucius finally spoke.

"What are you going to do now? With this information…son…." He said with disgust.

"Not too sure yet, _Father,"_ Draco said with equal malice. "I just wanted the confirmation that I knew you hadn't changed, as much as everyone likes to think you have. Looks like I got what I came for."

"I do not need to explain myself to you…or my reasons of why I did what I did. Now leave this place."

"It's my house too, you know. I can come and go as I please," Draco said haughtily.

"LEAVE!" Lucius screamed so loud at Draco that the young man cowered back in fear as the tall form of his Father practically charged at him. Draco scrambled away as he ran out of the room and they heard a pop as he apparated away. After a few long seconds Lucius turned to Aria, who had been silent for a while. She looked away from him.

He reached out his hands towards her, a look of desolation and broken dreams on his face. His brow was furrowed, but this time not in pleasure, but in pure pain.

"Aria. I am so sorry…I never meant for you to find out…Aria please look at me," his voice had been slightly cracked and husky from yelling at Draco.

Aria didn't say anything but did glance her eyes back up to meet his. Confusion and pain were written all over her face as well. She adored this man so much, but this was the first time she had to confront his dark side head on.


	12. Chapter 12- A Taste of Darkness

**Please leave me a review if you can! Or head on over to Fanfiction.net where I have more chapters, and leave a review there :)**

* * *

Aria continued staring at Lucius, as if willing an explanation out of him. She couldn't believe he had kept this from her. And although it wasn't lying, it was definitely holding something incredibly important back from her.

"I did it because I was angry…so angry at what that horrible man did to you," Lucius said as he walked slowly towards her. "Although I had just met you, I felt like I couldn't live with myself, live life, if I let that man get away with what he did. Even then I knew I would do anything…and could be capable…of doing anything for you."

He finally was standing directly next to her and he slowly reached his hands out and cupped her face, forcing her to look into his eyes intensely.

"You must believe me Aria."

"I do believe you Lucius!" she said as she stood up, which caused his hands to fall from her face. "I believe you that you did it for me…but I never asked you to! And to memory wipe someone!? What else did you do?"

Lucius stared at her, his heart shattering into a million pieces. She seemed so disappointed; she looked at him as if he was a complete stranger. However, there was no use lying to her now, he would tell her the whole truth of the matter.

"I didn't plan on doing any of it, all I was focused on that night was getting you out of his disgusting grasp…I brought you up to your flat. I stayed with you the whole night to make sure you were okay. Physically and mentally…" he said as he recounted the whole story. "When I left that morning, I saw he was still passed out next to your building…so I apparated him here to the Manor…into the dungeons…" Lucius said wearily. He had never told her that the Manor held something so dark and desolate.

"Dungeons?" said Aria as her voice rose higher. "You have _dungeons_!?"

Lucius nodded slightly in acknowledgement and continued the story.

"I kept him here in the Manor a few days…I…" he was dreading telling her the next part. "I used the Cruciatus curse on him…and then I apparated him to Cornwall and used the memory loss charm on him to make him forget…make him forget me…make him forget you, especially you…"

Aria said nothing but looked away, in clear shock, as she raised her hand up to her mouth to stifle a sob. "Lucius!" she yelled into the room. "You tortured him! The Cruciatus curse AND a memory charm…my God!"

With that comment, Lucius could no longer hide back his rage that he felt about the whole situation.

"He tortured _YOU!"_ he yelled back into the room just as loud as her voice had been. Why couldn't she see that he did what he did to avenge her. He knew he was old fashioned, but he needed her to know that he would do anything for her…he would do it all again.

"Take me to see the dungeons. I want to see them," she said through her hot tears as they poured down her face.

"No, you don't" he said coldly back.

"I WANT TO SEE THEM!" she yelled in defiance.

His eyes turned ice grey as he stared back at her. He didn't want to reveal to her that place; that place of pure darkness, but a place that was so apart of this home.

"You want to see how dark my family… _how dark I really am_?! FINE" he yelled. He knew this perhaps would be the end of her love for him. But again, he would do anything for her, anything she asked for, he would acquiesce to. He strode out of the room, and she followed behind him in a quick pace to keep up with his long legs.

He led them down the stairs to what appeared to be a plain wall, until he waved his hand in front of it and a door magically appeared. Aria's breathing was rapid, as the door was revealed. Lucius opened it and led them down into the dark, stone dungeons below. Aria's eyes adjusted to the darkness of the space and she took in its gloomy and depressing atmosphere. She noticed a stone bench in each cell, and also chains attached to the walls. It was purely medieval.

"So… this is where you torture people…" she said coldly as she looked up at him with piercing green eyes. It broke Lucius' heart to think that her love for him was gone.

"Yes…" he said equally as cold back, one of his fine eyebrows rising in defiance. His cold answer made her flinch, and he could see her heart slowly breaking and so he continued on with his statement as if trying to desperately repair it. "Years ago before the great War I would have tortured people who even looked at me the wrong way…but leading up to and after the War, I truly changed, I never would have imagined falling back into those ways again…until I met you…" he said as he looked away in shame at the truth. "

"Are you saying I made you do this?!" she said as tears began streaming down her face again.

"No! I am saying I would do _ANYTHING_ for you! Don't you get it?! You are EVERYTHING TO ME!" he yelled. His voice echoing off of the damp, stone walls. She stared at him then, her tears stopping immediately, as he grabbed her hard by the arms and practically shook her. "AND I WOULD DO IT AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND FEEL NO SHAME!" he admitted finally to her. His grey eyes almost black in the darkness. He was breathing incredibly hard and a sheen of sweat broke out over his skin, as the rage flowed through him. It made his scent that she loved so much even more strong.

Aria didn't know what came over her at that moment, but his declaration just then was such the absolute truth and came from a place that she knew was nothing but pure, primeval love and passion and wrath, that it stirred something in her lower belly; a longing and a lust. This man would lay down his life and anyone who stepped in her own way of happiness, just so that she could live a good life. Yes, his dark side in that moment had come to rear its head, but it was all for her. Her anger at the whole situation mixed with her burning and passionate love for this man in front of her almost made her lose consciousness; she didn't know what then came over her, but she leaned in and kissed him hard. So hard that as she kissed him, her teeth bit his lips and drew blood. He gasped and pulled back and looked at her in shock, but what he saw was pure, unbridled longing, something he was feeling himself. In response to her violence, the grip he had on her shoulders tightened hard and he shoved her back up against one of the stone walls of the dungeon. He kissed her back with just as much fury and violence. The blood she had drawn from his lips was now slightly smeared on her face, and he couldn't help but get instantly hard and aroused at how animalistic their emotions for each other now were.

"You always tell me that you accept me for my past, present and future…" he said in a deep husky growl. "Well this is my past…my darkness…now you must learn to truly embrace it! Do you?! I need to hear you say it!" he said practically yelling into the room as he finally released his death grip on her arms, and he ripped her silk robe off of her into two pieces. It fell in tatters on the floor.

Aria stood there naked. Her back up against the cold, stone wall. Her eyes were wide in shock as she took in Lucius in that moment. He was fully embracing his dark side and it was both the most terrifying and the most glorious and sexy thing she had ever known. She hated to admit it, but she was enjoying this newly revealed side of him. Suddenly, the things he had done to Paulo now didn't seem so bad to her. Yes, Paulo had deserved it. Yes, Lucius had done it for her, and even though she hadn't asked him to, she couldn't help but feel protected and loved beyond belief by this man. It made her feel like a Goddess. She still said nothing, and she saw Lucius begin to lose his patience. He reached his hand out and put it around her delicate neck, not exerting too much pressure as to make her choke, but enough to get her attention. She gasped in shock and her breathing became rapid. She could have come right then and there; it was all so erotic.

"I said do you embrace it!? Answer me now witch!" his grey eyes pierced into hers and she could feel his raging erection pressing up against her thigh.

"Yes…yes my love...I embrace you…all of you…forever…only you…" she said through each heaving breath. With his hand still clasped on her neck, Lucius felt her swallow hard.

He groaned in pleasure at her words, an animalistic, deep-down sound of pure pleasure when he suddenly flipped her around so that her breasts and right side of her face were pressed hard up against the stone wall. His right hand still remained clasped on her throat and then suddenly she felt his magnificent, iron-hard cock thrust up into her with such a fierce suddenness she cried out as her inside walls were stretched wide so quickly.

"Yes! Cry out for me…feel me…" he said deeply in her ear as he began thrusting. She had never known this side of him before in their lovemaking. Each thrust was so hard and deep that each time he thrust back in she cried out in a pleasurable pain.

"Lucius!" she screamed as he thrust into her so incredibly hard it made her breasts drag slightly up the hard stone of the wall, the sensation should have been painful, but it only brought her white-hot pleasure.

He was so overcome with an animalistic passion fueled by his rage, that the words flowed out of him with each thrust of his cock into her gorgeous body.

"I regret nothing…I would do it all again…just for you…only for you…always…this is my darkness…feel it" he cried out. He would not be able to hold on much longer. He had never been so selfish with her. He usually only cared for her pleasure, but this was purely his dark side taking over as he thrust into her body in such a hard way, taking her from behind, his hand clasped tight around her throat. The feeling of it all made his vision blurred with brutal passion.

Aria was still practically frozen in shock and pleasure at the whole situation taking place here in this dungeon of all places. Where most likely countless of people had been tortured over the centuries, now it was the two lovers making love like wild animals, screaming out into the stone room in bliss.

"Yes, Lucius! I feel it…and I need it…now release it into me!" she screamed.

He could hold on no longer and with one more thunderous groan, Aria felt his cock harden even further and then shoot out its searing hot seed up into her. The deepest it had ever gone. She screamed in pleasure with him as he let himself go. His hand finally slipped from her throat down to her hips, as if bracing himself in case he should pass out.

Aria expected him to stay in her for a while after, like he usually did, but she regrettably felt him slide out immediately after he came down from his orgasm. After a few breaths, she turned around finally, reaching out to him but finding him already on the other side of the room, his back turned to her, his hands were covering both of his eyes, and he slumped down to the floor. She rushed over to him and sat down next to him as she gently put her hand on his knee, she was confused and concerned. He finally spoke.

"Aria…I am so sorry…" he said as he removed his hands from his eyes and looked into hers. He was practically weeping. "To get lost in the moment…and just take you…like that…"he motioned with his hands towards the wall. He grimaced in disgust at himself. "I am sorry for everything."

Aria couldn't believe her ears. Yes, she was surprised and slightly still in shock at what had just happened, but she couldn't deny her passion and her arousal she had felt. She had been mad initially at the situation, but she realized that deep down, Paulo had gotten what he deserved, and although quite old-fashioned, Lucius' fierce protection touched her heart in ways she didn't even know existed. Perhaps he had brought out a side of her she had never known; a darker side. But she wanted to embrace it in both of them, as well as the light side. She knew he truly was a changed man and had done what he did solely because of her.

"Please don't apologize my love," she said as she reached out and traced her hand over his cheek. "I…I rather enjoyed that actually…" she said as she blushed slightly.

"I was so selfish…I am ashamed…" he replied.

"I don't know…I sort of…sort of liked that. That darkness that came out just then between us" she slightly smiled as he looked at her in confusion at her words. "And as for the other thing… I realize now that you did what you did because of your love for me. As much as I wish you would have told me, I can truly understand why you did it. And I…I thank you…"

He breathed out a huge sigh of relief at the whole situation and her words. He looked up at her in amazement at her beauty inside and out. "I truly don't deserve you…" was all he could say.

He took in her face and noticed the blood still lingering on her lips and wiped it gently with his thumb. He then looked further down her body and saw slight redness and marks on her neck and her breasts. His brow furrowed. He had hurt her, and he hated it. He leaned his head down to kiss her neck and breasts gently, almost as if wishing to kiss away the pain and marks. After a while he just stopped and laid his head gently against her breasts, listening to her steady breathing and heart. Aria began stroking his hair, in an act of pure comfort. She almost felt as if he was a child and she held him in her arms and just stroked him to try and make all of his pain go away. For the longest time she held him against her breast, against the stone wall of the dungeon as they slowly drifted off into daydreaming, their heated bodies and the darkness of the dungeon forming a yin and yang of darkness and light.


	13. Chapter 13- Confessions

**Please review! :)**

* * *

For the rest of the day and night Aria and Lucius laid in each other's arms. They had eventually made their way back upstairs and into his bed, instead of laying down in the dungeons, but they both had no appetite for food or any energy after the whirlwind morning they had. There had been so many revelations to them both, that all they could comprehend and have the mental capacity for was just simply laying quietly and intimately together in bed.

Lucius had returned back to his usual gentle self when it came to Aria, and he casually stroked over her naked body with his fingers, light as feathers as they lay in each other's arms. Aria drifted in and out of sleep from the comforting touches of the man she loved. As for Lucius, although he laid peacefully in bed, his mind was a raging storm as he thought about all that happened that morning. Not only the turmoil and anger he had felt with his son, but also the extreme disappointment with how his son had turned out to be as an adult. Hateful and almost incapable of understanding or love. It made him angry at himself that he had raised his son to be that way. Lucius also couldn't help but wonder what Draco would do with the truth now that he knew it. Would he rat out his own Father to the Ministry? He couldn't be too sure.

Lucius then thought to what had transpired with Aria down in the dungeons. It had been insanely erotic. Lucius had not felt that dark power rise in him for so long. It was addictive yet dangerous to his soul, as it called out to him so tantalizingly. Aria had seemed to enjoy it as well, something which shocked and somewhat disturbed Lucius. She had always been the epitome of sunshine and innocence. Was he bringing out a dark side to her? He would embrace her in any form, but he couldn't help but take it upon himself that he wouldn't be the thing that would corrupt her. He loved being gentle with Aria and lavishing pleasure upon her, but he couldn't shake the feeling inside that he also greatly loved that dominant feeling he had gotten during their passionate coupling down in the dungeons. It made him feel so powerful as he held her roughly in his strong hands, her body so delicate and small under him. That is why he had felt so ashamed after their rough sex, as he would never want to do anything to hurt or scare her.

The day turned into night and the two of them had barely left bed all day. Aria had drifted in and out of sleep all day, but yet she was quite exhausted still. She was just about to fade off to sleep again when it suddenly struck her mind that she really didn't need to stay at the Manor anymore due to safety concerns. She had initially wanted to spend a few days there, because she was worried that there was someone after the new ambassadors at the Ministry, but now with the knowledge that it was Lucius, she had nothing to fear anymore about being attacked. However, she still really wanted to stay with him the next few days, if only to sort out her roller coaster of emotions from the day.

"Lucius, would you mind if I still stayed here the next few days? I know I have nothing to fear for anymore, now that I know the truth of the situation, but I feel like I really want to stay. I feel like I need to be close to you…" she said as she looked up at him.

"My love, you never need to ask. You can stay here as long as you'd like. I'd prefer you stay actually. I must admit I find myself needing you constantly as well…you are like my life force," he said as he gave her a soft smile and a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Thank you," was all she managed to say. The contrast between his gentleness in this moment and his earlier dominance was staggering, but it made Aria extremely aroused knowing she had such a man that was capable of both, it truly was mind blowing and she couldn't help but tell him how she was feeling.

"You are an amazing man Lucius," she said softly.

He remained silent, taking in her statement. His brow furrowed in thought as he took in her words. How had he gotten so lucky to have this woman in his life, who thought of him in such high regard? Would he ever get used to it?

"Lucius…" she continued to break the silence again, "I know what you are thinking. You are still concerned about earlier, in the dungeons…but please know that I actually…really, really liked it. I know you might think of me differently now, but I liked feeling your power…it terrified me yet was the most passionate feeling I have ever felt."

"But see, you just said it terrified you…" he said, as his hold on her slackened, almost as if he was scared to now touch her.

"Yes, but in a good way!" she laughed slightly at how crazy she sounded. "I have never experienced anything with another man, and you are the one that gets to discover things about myself with me and that is what I love about us. I was innocent when I met you, but you are helping me discover myself in ways I never knew. I find it incredibly erotic…but also romantic. Those are my true feelings on it. Please believe me Lucius."

Lucius breathed out a slight sigh of relief as he listened to her speak. He did believe her and he was glad that his own feelings matched similarly in that he had found his brutal taking of her extremely arousing, but at the same time he also loved when he could be gentle and romantic and passionate with her and focus solely on her pleasure.

"I believe you my love…and I have also been thinking myself…and I will admit that I feel rather the same way in that I love discovering ourselves through our love making. I did love feeling the power I felt earlier when I took you…quite brutally…but I also admit that you bring out a gentleness in me, that I never knew I had, and that I now desperately need to give that to you too; even that first night in the gardens at the masquerade ball, when I….tasted you…for the first time, I knew I needed to worship you always, like the Goddess you are…"

Aria blushed hotly, although Lucius couldn't see it in the darkness of the room. She instantly became wet at the remembrance of the first sexual encounter she had ever had with him that beautiful night under the stars. He had treated her so well ever since, and she couldn't thank him or love him enough. Here in the darkness, as they made their confessions to each other, she had never felt so connected to anyone or anything in her entire life. She loved that now that the truth was out about all things, they could fully embrace all of their sides, dark and light and everywhere in between. Perhaps that was truly the meaning of that ancient image of them in the Soul Prophesies book. A sun and moon reaching out to each other and combining to become one of the same.

"God, I love you so much Lucius," she said passionately as she reached to him in the dark and kissed him deeply, moaning against his lips.

They were both breathing hard, and Lucius tenderly kissed her lips, then her flushed cheeks, her eye lids, her temples and back to her lips. It made her shudder with delight.

"And I love you more than I have ever loved anyone or anything before…" he finally said back, in an intense seriousness.

Aria's heart skipped a beat. She knew he had a family before her, a son and a wife. But to hear him proclaim his love for her so absolutely made her swell with emotion. She didn't feel worthy.

"Really?" she asked quietly and softly.

"Unequivocally," he said in his deeply husky voice.

They could both feel the emotions in the room becoming so thick you could almost cut through it. Lucius desperately wanted to reach out and touch her and feel her; gently this time. He wanted to draw her pleasure out, since he had neglected to do that earlier. He had his earlier and fair was fair. She would have her pleasure tonight. And so, he reached his right hand out and slowly let his fingers go up and down the side of her body, causing her skin to tingle and raise with gooseflesh. He moved even closer than, as he propped up on his elbow so that he was looking down at her. He could barely see the outline of her face in the pale moonlight which was the only source of light in the room. He reached his lips to hers and began kissing her gently. Tracing her lips with his tongue and lightly parting her lips so that he could kiss her more deeply with his tongue. At the same time his hand had traveled down to her smooth vagina and began lightly touching and stroking the extremely soft folds of her outer lips. He could feel the wetness had already began to seep out of her, and he groaned in pleasure at the feel of her, so warm and ready in his hand.

She moaned against his lips as his hand explored her. He still had not entered any fingers into her or rubbed her clit, but his soft gentle touches on her were so romantic, that she felt as if she may cry. As she moaned softly into his mouth, she finally felt two of his long, slender fingers enter her sodden core. "Oh my god…so good…" she whimpered as he began to strum his fingers dexterously inside of her. He knew the exact motions that felt so amazing as his long fingers reached that most tender spot deep inside. With every beckoning movement of his fingers inside of her, he rubbed against that spot, causing her breathing to become rapid and her moans to grow louder. Driving arousal even more, she felt his thumb come up to start slowly drawing circles around her sensitive clit. It felt so good she practically screamed with pleasure.

His hand continued to work its magic within her and on her, and his lips barely left hers as he kissed her the entire while. Both of them moaned into each other and Lucius could feel the mini trembling pulses start to build up inside of her and he knew she was close.

"Come for me my love and know how much I adore you…" he said huskily down to her. Her eyes were piercing into his as she concentrated on the feelings and pleasure of his fingers rubbing her inside and outside in such an exquisite way. She couldn't hold on anymore and she came explosively on his fingers as she looked into his eyes the whole time. Her body shuddered in delight and her back arched up off of the bed.

"Good girl," he smirked down at her as he watched her writhe in pleasure on his fingers. He was extremely aroused, and his cock was twitching in agony with the desire to enter her, but he had solely wanted to focus on her pleasure and not his own in that moment. However, he felt Aria's hand suddenly grip his iron hard cock and rub her finger over the head of it. He couldn't help but utter a groan of pleasure, but he reached his hand down to stop her. "I just wanted to give you pleasure, that's all…" but she cut him off by kissing softly but with urgency.

"Please Lucius…I want to feel you inside me…please," she said as she released him from the kiss.

He wouldn't deny her and in a split second he had moved so that he was over her body looking down on her, bracing himself on his arms. In one solid and sleek motion he had thrust deliciously into her swollen pussy. They moaned aloud together at the instant connection. Lucius knew this time it would be different from earlier and he pulled in and out of her tightness with such gentleness and care. Aria's eyes rolled back into her head as she was able to feel every inch of him as he slowly slid in and out. She loved how different this time was with him and it amazed her how in the same day their love making could be so different yet so intense each time in its own way.

Lucius was amazed at how tight and wet she was. It was as if each time with her was the first and his eyes shut in pure bliss as he reveled in the sensations. God, she was so tight, and he knew it was because he had just made her come with his fingers before he entered her. She felt so good as he continued gently thrusting in and out, in and out. After a while, she wrapped her legs tight around his waist as he continued plunging forth. That caused him to go so deep, he was rubbing on that sensitive inside spot again and it only took a few more strokes against it to cause her to come for the second time. She was practically screaming into the room as her insides convulsed and pulsed all over his iron-hard shaft.

"Lucius! I love you so much!" she screamed in pleasure.

His mind clouded with lust and love for the woman beneath him and he exploded into her, his seed shooting so deep inside of her, he thought there might be no more room left. "I love you Aria! So much…so much" he moaned, as the last of him spurted up into her.

He stayed inside her afterwards, which Aria had missed from their earlier, brutal coupling and she smiled at the act of it and what had just transpired. The two of them now had zero energy or consciousness left to give from the crazy day they had had. They let actual sleep take over and both of them slept as soundly as a still pool of water.

* * *

In the morning, the early light of dawn shone through the curtains, which they had neglected to shut from the night before, and it woke both of them up at around the same time. They had parted bodies at some point in the night, but their limbs were still intertwined with the others and as they faced each other, both of them smiled softly at the other as they greeted the morning together. Aria leaned in to kiss him tenderly and traced one of her fingers down the side of his chiseled face. He closed his eyes in pleasure and smiled softly. Aria loved the shape of his mouth so much, she craved to kiss it again and so she did. Without saying a word, she got up and headed to the shower. She knew that sadly, she would have to go to work today and so she would get ready, much to her reluctance.

After a nice, warm shower, Aria put her long wavy hair up in a stylish ponytail and applied her mascara and blush. She dressed in a pair of tight black trousers and a navy-blue blazer with a lowcut white, silk top underneath. She appraised herself in the mirror and approved. She walked back into the bedroom but found Lucius wasn't there, so she made her way downstairs and found him in the dining room with the morning paper with a pot of tea and some breakfast foods laid out on the table. A plate and teacup were placed out for her as well. Lucius looked up from his paper and appraised her with his eyes as he stood up to get her chair for her.

"Mmm…well don't you look scrumptious today," he smirked at her.

Aria looked at him back with the same appraisal. He too had dressed for work and was wearing a deliciously tight-fitting suit over a white button up shirt that had the first few buttons undone, she could almost see down to his chest. His iconic matte black robes were draped over his shoulders. He was so incredibly gorgeous; it took her breath away.

"As do you," she said as she faintly blushed and sat down in the chair he pulled out for her.

They ate breakfast happily, but soon Aria became increasingly depressed when the time for them to go to work arrived. Lucius noticed her slight pouting and laughed to himself.

"Don't worry my dear. I think you will enjoy the news of your next assigned project today. The Minister has already told me of the details, and I didn't want to spoil it for you. You will hear about it today. I will be involved in it myself. We will now officially get to work together on a project," he said with a wide grin.

Aria perked up at this bit of information and was now anxious to get to work to hear the news of her next assignment.

"Oh really? Well then I better get to the office to get ready to hear what that is!" She smiled as she got up from her seat and walked over to where he sat and leaned down and kissed him. "I hope that can hold us both over until tonight." She smiled down at him. She then made her way over to the grand fireplace of the dining room and used the Floo Powder to head to work. Lucius watched her until she disappeared. He really was excited for this project.

* * *

Aria got to work and greeted everyone pleasantly. Pepper noticed her change of mood and smiled in delight back at her friend. There was a document on Aria's desk, and she knew it was the details of her next assignment. She was so excited to see what she would be doing next. She hoped that it would be another trip away somewhere; she wanted to get away from the Ministry at that moment, as they still conducted their investigation of what happened to Paulo. Aria gingerly tore open the wax seal on the document and read:

_Miss De La Cour,_

_Due to your recent success on your last business trip regarding the preservation and support of important wizarding history, we would like for you to embark on this next business project which will involve you helping the Ministry to create a preservation plan for some of the most valuable and important items in our history: The Four Founders Relics of Hogwarts._

_These objects are the four personal items of the Founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As you may know, these relics played a huge part in the Great War and were used for nefarious reasons by the ex-Dark Lord, himself. The importance of these items cannot be understated._

_After the War they have been returned to the School's possession and Headmistress McGonagall now wants each item to be preserved and out for display in the common rooms of the students. She wants the items to be able to be viewed and remembered for their importance._

_The items are the Locket of Salazar Slytherin, the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, the Sword of Godric Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff's Golden Cup._

_We expect this project may take up to two weeks and you will be joined by four prominent members of the Ministry, one member for each house. Hermione Granger will be assisting you for Gryffindor, Neli Kay will be assisting you for Hufflepuff, James Walters will be assisting you for Ravenclaw and your mentor, Lucius Malfoy, will be assisting you for Slytherin._

_You will be provided with living accommodations whilst at Hogwarts, or you may choose to Floo or apparate back home after each day. The choice will be yours. After the two weeks we then invite you to join the Hogwarts School in a celebration ball of the Samhain festival and season, in which your fellow Ministry officials will also be invited to. We hope you are excited about this next project and we look forward to your response. We hope to plan this to begin next week._

_All the best,_

_The Ministry_

Aria's heart and mind could not contain their excitement at this next project; and she would get to experience it with Lucius too. How lucky she truly felt in that moment.


	14. Chapter 14- Hogwarts

**Hi all! Thanks for reading! I just love these two so much. I hope you guys will write me some reviews on how I am doing! Just a reminder I sadly do not own any of the HP characters. But I love them, especially that platinum headed, dashing man. ;)**

* * *

After the news of her next assignment, the week seemed to go by in a flash. Aria and Lucius were both incredibly excited to be able to work together, and in fact it was the first time she had really seen Lucius excited about anything related to the Ministry, which made her even more happy for them both. Aria was also incredibly excited to be able to finally see Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was legend, even in America; the school was perhaps the most important Wizarding school in all the world. To be able to be there and handling such ancient and historically meaningful artifacts was just so mind-blowing.

Aria had decided to stay at Hogwarts in the offered accommodations that the Ministry said would be provided to her. She would have her own room and bathroom near the teachers' wing, the Ministry had told her. Lucius, Hermione, and the other two mentors, Neli and James, would also have their own rooms while on assignment, but theirs rooms would be located in their respective houses; it made Aria feel slightly left out, but she smirked to herself at the thought of sneaking off to Lucius' room in Slytherin and she got instantly aroused thinking of how naughty it all seemed. Like a schoolgirl sneaking out at night to see her secret boyfriend.

Lucius and Aria had discussed that while they would likely try to stay most nights at Hogwarts while there on assignment, they could Floo or apparate back to Malfoy Manor any time they would like if they needed to get away. Both of them knew their sexual appetites when it came to each other wouldn't allow them to be discrete for long, and they both realized they relished their privacy and their intimacy. However, Aria could tell Lucius was very much happily anticipating returning back to his alma mater.

That Sunday night, the night before they were to leave, Aria had quickly gone back to her flat to pack, yet again. She felt bad she had been neglecting her flat for so long…it didn't feel like home anymore…the Manor did. The flowers Lucius had gotten her were still beautifully preserved and she smiled at the sight of them. After packing as fast as a whirlwind, she quickly used the fireplace to Floo back to the Manor. She ended up back in the dining room fireplace upon her return and smiled at the sight waiting for her. The dining room table was filled with the most delicious foods imaginable. A whole roast chicken with plates of vegetables and breads and sauces. Two glasses of wine sat on the table waiting to be drunk. Lucius had clearly planned this to be a special meal, and she appreciated it so much.

"This is amazing," Aria said aloud to herself.

Lucius happened to walk back in at that moment, as he had heard her arrive and he smiled softly at her from across the room.

"I wanted us to have a nice meal together before our big project…in celebration," he said bringing over the wine glasses. He handed one to her while keeping the other one. "Cheers…to us. Ever since I met you, I have never felt more exhilarated towards life and its prospects" he said proudly.

"Cheers," she smiled brightly back at him as she took a long sip of the delicious red wine.

As they sat down to eat dinner Aria smiled at her lover across the table. His eyes were bright with excitement and she loved how crystal grey his eyes were as they shined in the candlelight.

"I love seeing you so happy," she said as she reached her hand across the table to grasp his. He took her hand and squeezed it in appreciation, and he smiled across at her.

"Going back to Hogwarts is always something I enjoy," he said truthfully. "It was the time in my life I was most happy with who I was; most successful. I must slightly boast, that I was a rather extraordinary student…and prefect!" he said proudly.

Aria smiled brightly at him. Of course, she knew he was brilliant. How could he not be? He was an extremely powerful wizard and full of knowledge. That was one of the many reasons she was attracted to him. She loved hearing him talk about his past, which he rarely did.

"Were you happier there than here in the Manor?" she asked softly? She loved this place and knew he did too. She hoped she didn't cross a line in asking as she saw his face lose a bit of its glow at her question.

"Yes in many ways…"he said as he took another long sip of his wine. "At school, I was free from my Father…" he admitted as his eyes looked down at his plate of food in contemplation and almost shame. Aria instinctually grabbed his hand again in comfort and reassurance. He looked at her hand clasped over his and then looked into her gorgeous green eyes and smiled softly at her.

"At school I was able to truly be myself…here at home, I always had to be…better…be who my Father wanted me to be." He continued. "I liked myself better at school. I would be engrossed in my studies, and I excelled. All of the professors liked me…I had a good group of friends. I loved home, I loved my Mother, but my Father always put a dark cloud over things…I loved him, but I was also afraid of him. Practically the only thing he ever praised me on, was my knowledge and the way I excelled in all of my studies; no subject was too difficult for me."

Aria loved how open Lucius was being about his past. It was rare she got to hear any of it, and she adored him so much in that moment for opening up to her. She still clasped his hand in hers and rubbed her thumb comfortingly and understandingly over his soft skin of his hand.

"I am sorry about your Father, Lucius. I am sure in his own way he was proud of you," she said softly. "I am glad you had those years at Hogwarts though…I wish I could have seen you back then. I am sure I would have been so impressed…I probably would have had a crush on you," she laughed. Her laugh greatly lightened the mood in the room again, causing him to chuckle as well.

"I wish I had known you then too, but alas you weren't even close to being born yet…" he said chuckling again but looking off into the distance, clearly thinking about their age difference.

Aria squeezed his hand again in another sign of reassurance. She didn't care about their age difference at all. She knew Lucius was a great and powerful wizard, and he would age a lot more slowly because of that fact. All great and pure-blooded wizards such as him had that special trait.

Lucius continued. "Like I have told you before, the only thing I regret between us, is not having more time with you…if I had met you back at Hogwarts, my life would have been so different. Taken a different path perhaps…" he brought their conjoined hands up to his lips and kissed the top of her hand softly. Aria's stomach flipped in pleasure at the feeling of his soft lips on her skin.

"I know my love, but you mustn't regret…we are together now. I won't let you go…ever," she said passionately and looked into his eyes with a certainty that took his breath away.

After their delicious dinner, to which Aria thanked him greatly for, they made their way slowly back upstairs. Lucius had magically lit the fireplace in his room and a comforting, low blaze warmed them both as they sat and finished their glasses of wine. They had finished off a whole bottle by that point and Aria's head and body were buzzing. She couldn't seem to stop giggling at everything he said, and she felt a bit silly, yet she couldn't seem to help it. Lucius noticed her slight drunkenness and reveled in it. It greatly amused him and after they had completely finished their wine, Lucius stood up from his chair and offered out his hand to her, to help her up. She grabbed his hand and stumbled slightly into him, giggling the whole time. He caught her in his strong and steady arms.

"You saved me…my hero…" she looked up into his eyes with hazy adoration. He smirked down at her but knew that he should be helping her into bed at that moment.

"Ready for bed my love. We have a big day tomorrow…and I do not envy you the headache you might have…" he said as he kissed her forehead.

"Actually, I was thinking I might have a shower tonight before bed…that way I won't have to rush in the morning…care to join me?" she said with one of her eyebrows cocked. A sly smirk painted across her face.

One of his eyebrows raised, mimicking her cocky yet seductive stare. "Hmmmm," he groaned aloud. A shower did sound rather nice. His cock instantly started growing at the thought of being naked and wet with her. He led her over to the side of the bed and sat her down. "Wait here, I'll get the shower running," his smirk widened as she sat and smiled up at him.

After he got the shower on and to the right temperature, he went back over to Aria and helped her up off the bed and out of her clothes. She stared lovingly and slightly blurrily into his eyes the whole time, as she let him undress her completely. Every time he removed a piece of clothing, he kissed the newly revealed part of her body. Her skin tingled all over even more, the wine and his kisses combining into the most dazzling sensation. He then quickly removed his clothes and led her over to the running shower.

With his hands around her waist he led her into the warm shower and the water rained down on them in the most delicious way. They both moaned in pleasure, their voices echoing off the tiled walls, as the water cascaded over their bodies. Lucius grabbed some of the pine-smelling soap and lathered it in his hands and then started rubbing his gorgeous, soapy hands all over Aria's body as he stood behind her. The sensual and comforting act of him cleansing her and touching her all over caused her head to fall back onto his chest and her eyes to close in bliss. His hands slipped and rubbed all over her wet soapy torso and then he moved his hands up to her full, perky breasts and he began massaging and squeezing them with the perfect amount of pressure.

"Lucius…it feels so good…." she moaned aloud. The shower had begun sobering her up somewhat, but her brain still felt a tad bit hazy, which was emphasized by Lucius' incredible handling of her sensitive body.

"Mhm," he groaned into her ear as his right hand began sliding down her body towards her tingling core. His left hand remained squeezing and massaging her breast but his right hand had found her sensitive clit and began rubbing it slowly in circles.

"Fuck, that feels so good," Aria practically screamed into the room.

Lucius again delighted in the effects the wine was having on her. Her use of foul language made him even more hard and feeling the water and soap all over her smooth and sensitive body was sublime. He continued rubbing and circling her clit, while massaging her breasts with his other hand. His lips came down to her neck and he kissed her and nibbled on her. Her moaning was becoming more and more loud and her body was becoming more slack as he was practically holding her up, while his hands worked their magic. After a few minutes he felt her body begin to tense and tremble and he knew it would only take a few more circles of her clit to drive her over the edge. She came hard as she screamed out into the room.

"Fuck yes…fuck…oh my god!" she screamed.

Lucius moaned loudly as he witnessed her pleasure as he continued to hold her up. When she finally came back down, she giggled as she felt his hard cock slightly poking at her backside. She turned around so that she was now facing him. He looked gorgeous as the water cascaded down his smooth, muscular chest. His cock was standing straight to attention and it glistened deliciously in the water and steam of the shower. The look he gave her was pure passion and she had never seen him more gorgeous, she thought, then at that moment.

"You are perfect," she said as she looked up into his eyes. She reached to grab some soap and lathered it in her hands as she started rubbing his chest and torso all over. She adored the hard planes of his body. His muscles were sublime, and she couldn't stop staring at his perfect form. He had now closed his eyes and his mouth was slightly open as he breathed in heavily as she touched him. She snaked her hands down his body and then quite suddenly grabbed his hard cock in her left hand, her right hand continued to rub gently over his chest muscles.

He breathed in a sharp hiss of breath at her touch, so suddenly on his shaft, and he shuddered slightly. She began slowly pumping his cock, the soap on her hands making the sensation so beyond perfect for Lucius, his mind started going hazy at the feeling of it. Now it was his turn to use language; the only way he could properly describe how he was feeling.

"Fuck…so good…so, so good…" he said as his head fell back as she continued pumping him and loving him at the perfect pace. She had started off slowly and sensually, but she knew as he became more and more aroused to pick up the pace. He brought his head back down and opened his eyes and he gazed at her through bleary bliss. She couldn't take her eyes off of his as she pumped faster and faster, his breathing becoming more and more fast and halted. She moved her one hand from his chest down to cup his balls lightly as she pumped him faster.

"Dear God, yes!" he groaned out, in the deepest most husky voice. Aria was so aroused at his arousal that she almost came herself, but instead she felt his cock twitch and grow even harder and then he came hard. Aria looked down and saw his seed shoot out of his glorious cock. Some of it hit her abdomen and she giggled in wonder at how intense he had just come.

He kissed her hard and passionately, and then they both rinsed off one last time and turned off the shower. The two of them stepped out and dried each other off with plush towels. The whole act of the shower and drying each other off had been such an amazing experience that the two lovers went to bed completely satisfied, and Aria awoke the next morning with no hangover whatsoever. Everything was right in her world; and Lucius' too.

That morning, Lucius kissed Aria slowly awake, to which she was glad, because if he hadn't, she would have slept straight through the morning. While she didn't have a hangover of any kind, she was still a bit tired; but satisfied. She smiled to herself thinking of the night before.

After a quick breakfast, they agreed that she would Floo over first and he would follow about half an hour later. She knew she probably wouldn't see him most likely until that night at dinner, so she kissed him long and passionately before she stepped into the fireplace.

"I love you, I'll see you later," she said tenderly as she smiled at him from where she stood.

"And I you," he said just as sweetly back before she disappeared in a flash of green flame.

* * *

Aria arrived swiftly but dizzily in a giant fireplace. She stepped out into what appeared to be a great hall. She saw four long tables in front of her that stretched all the way from the front of the grand room to the back. Up on a platform at the front end of the room was another long table. Behind the table were four large glass columns with different shades of dust in them; green, blue, red and yellow. There were numbers at the bottom of each column in what she assumed were points of some sort. Her school had a similar point system but instead of points for houses they were awarded to individual students at her school. She looked upwards and noticed there was no stone ceiling, and in its place, it was enchanted to look like the sky. Currently it looked like she was standing under a crystal blue sky with fluffy, white clouds overhead.

"Wow," she said as she marveled at the Great Hall.

Just at that moment, the tallest and most large person she had ever seen made his way into the room. He must have been part giant and he had a scraggily black beard and hair.

"Ello there!" he said pleasantly, his voice booming in the empty hall. "My name is Rubeus Hagrid. You must be from the Ministry. They said yee'd be coming today."

Aria had to lean her head back quite a lot in order to smile at him directly, but she could instantly tell he was a nice, caring man.

"Hello! My name is Aria! Yes, I am here to help with the preservation project for the Founders Relics."

"We are very excited to have ya," he said with a warm smile, his beady eyes creasing as he smiled. "Now don't you worry about yer bags, they will be brought up to yer room. Let me show ya where yer staying," he said as he began leading them out of the Great Hall. "This is where dinner will be held later on though, so remember that," he slightly chuckled.

As he led her through the grand castle Aria was mesmerized. This place exceeded her expectations beyond anything she could imagine. They passed by a few classrooms and she delighted in the ancient feel of the place, the whole while Hagrid told her about the history of each room and what subject was taught in it. He finally led them through a doorway and Aria had to stop a minute to catch her breath. The room was hundreds of stories high and hundreds of moving staircases were passing by and moving around to each floor. Hundreds, no, thousands, of portraits were hung all over and were all moving and interacting with each other.

"Oh my…." Aria said as she stared at the wonder of it all.

"Aye," Hagrid laughed as he took in her expression. "It is always a shock to people when they see it for the first time…I almost forgot you had never seen it before. All ya got to do, is be careful of the moving staircases, and mind the gaps. But the stairs know where ya want to go, so there is no need to get lost. Here," he offered her his hand as he led them onto the staircase that had just moved closest to them. They both stepped on it together and it moved suddenly. She jolted forward at the sudden movement and clung to his hand tightly. Hagrid laughed to himself slightly at her nervousness but patted her hand in reassurance.

They had finally reached their stop. They were very high up, it must have been up 50 floors, but they stepped off and Hagrid led her down a bright hallway that was lined with doors on either side.

"These are the professors' quarters. We usually have a few empty ones. Ye can't go wrong with any of these rooms; they are all lovely," Hagrid said.

He led them down to the very end of the hall and opened up a door on the left. He led her into a beautiful circular room. It had a big fourposter bed made from mahogany wood and draped with crème colored fabric. It had a nice sized fireplace as well, with beautiful crown molding on it and some nice comfortable looking chairs. There was a wardrobe to one side of the room and on the other side was another door which led to a simple yet clean bathroom.

"It is lovely. Thank you so much," she said smiling up at him.

"Yer welcome," he said happily. "Oh, by the way Headmistress McGonagal wants to see you in her office in an hour. She wants to show you the relics which are currently in her office. She wants you to see them before you visit each house during the next few days. You can find her office on the seventh floor behind the Gargoyle at the end of the hall."

"Oh ok. Thank you so much Mr. Hagrid," she said politely.

He laughed at her use of his name in such proper terms and left her be to get settled. After unpacking a few of her things she spread out happily on the big bed. She wondered if Lucius had arrived yet. From what he had told her, Slytherin house was at the very bottom of the school, in the dungeons of the castle. She was so high up that she was slightly disappointed at how far apart they would be. But she happily looked over to the fireplace in her room and knew that should they need some alone time together it would be easy to Floo back to the Manor. She had packed some Floo powder with her for that exact reason. Plus, if she wanted to sneak off to him in the middle of the night, it would just give her a chance to explore more of the school; something she couldn't wait to do.

After about an hour, she knew she should start making her way down to see the Headmistress. Aria had dressed in her navy-blue blazer which she adorned with a pin of the crest of her own Alma Mater, Solemmari. She paired it with a sleek grey pencil skirt and suede black heels. She looked professional yet still stylish. She approved and started to make her way down to the seventh floor. The students must have all been in class, since Aria was one of the few people out and about. A few of the students she passed stared at her curiously. She clearly wasn't a student, but she didn't seem old enough to not be a student, so she seemed a tad out of place.

When she got to the seventh floor, after a few attempts at navigating the staircases, she immediately saw which gargoyle Hagrid had meant and she made her way up to it. As if expecting her the statue began moving and a spiral staircase revealed itself to Aria. She stepped onto the first step of the staircase, but quickly realized she didn't have to move as the stairs wound their way up, carrying her with them. She arrived at a grand wooden door and knocked gently. The door opened and revealed the Headmistress' office. She sat behind an ornate desk in the middle of the room wearing sumptuous red velvet robes. Her hair was pinned tightly back on her head and she looked at Aria over her spectacles. Aria was slightly nervous, as the presence of the great witch was rather intimidating, but the woman slowly stood up and smiled slightly as Aria walked forward. The Headmistress extended her hand out in greeting and Aria grabbed in lightly and shook.

"Such a pleasure to welcome you to our school Miss De La Cour," said the Headmistress.

"Oh, thank you so much Headmistress. The pleasure is truly mine. I can't believe I am here, honestly," she smiled brightly. She noticed McGonagal looking at her school's pin on her blazer.

"Solemmari. I have heard of that school. A very small wizarding school in California, correct?" said McGonagal astutely.

"Yes," Aria smiled proudly. "It is rather small, but it was a great experience growing up there and coming into my power and magic at such a close-knit place."

McGonagal nodded her head in approval at her statement. "Well your skills you have displayed for the Ministry are certainly becoming well known. Which is why we are glad to have you here," said McGonagal as she motioned with her hand towards some large glass cases to the left side of the room.

Aria smiled in thanks at her assessment and followed her over. She instantly saw the four items that she would be working with. Not only were they beautiful but she instantly felt the magic radiating off of them.

"Wow," said Aria breathlessly. "These are amazing. I have heard so much about these. They are legend. I feel so honored just to be looking at them."

"Yes," agreed McGonagal. "They are of great importance to us, not only here at the school, but to the entire Wizarding World. But now that all four of them are back where they belong, we want to preserve them, but also display them for all students to see. Such historical items are certainly meant to be viewed, not hidden away."

"Yes, I quite agree," said Aria.

"Over the next week or two, you will go to each house here at the school to learn a bit about each of them and see what would be the best option for displaying them safely for the school."

"Yes, I am very much looking forward to it."

The two witches spoke a bit more, but then Aria was excused. Aria decided she wanted to explore the grounds a bit and so she made her way outside and walked around the beautiful grounds of the school. For as far as the eye could see there were gorgeous mountains and dense forests. Off in the distance she could see an epic Quidditch Pitch and to the other direction a vast and mysterious lake. The landscape certainly reminded her a lot of Scotland, and part of her wondered if the school was perhaps magically concealed in the Scottish Highlands. Hours later, Aria had covered much ground, from the garden greenhouses, to the edge of a rather dark and scary looking forest, which she didn't dare wander into. The sky had grown a dusky blue and she knew that she should probably make her way back inside for dinner.

She made her way back into the castle, and now even more students stared at her as she walked the halls. A lot of the teen boys smirked and smiled at her as she passed them, clearly trying to impress her. Although she wasn't that much older than them, they all seemed so young to her. It made her miss Lucius desperately and she hoped she would see him soon. Almost as if her prayers were answered, the moment she stepped into the Great Hall, the first thing she noticed despite the delicious smelling food and the hundreds of students, was the platinum blond headed man sitting at the main table on the far end of the room. Her heart skipped a beat and she smiled happily, as she locked eyes with the man she adored.

Lucius had of course seen her the second she walked into the Hall. Her beautiful blond hair glistened in the light of the thousands of candles floating all over the room. He smiled so slightly that no one else would notice except for her. He had gotten to the school earlier in the day but he had decided to let her get settled in and acquainted with the school and so he had not sought her out. It also had given him a chance to settle into his rooms down in Slytherin as well. He had loved being back, and now seeing the woman he loved, at a place he had loved so much, was almost surreal. As she walked down the large hall towards him, he noticed many of the students looking at her with keen eyes. He realized that she, herself, looked as if she could be the same age as some of the older students, and so he was sure a lot of the male students were wondering who the beautiful new blond girl was. He chuckled to himself, although part of him wished he could stride over to her and kiss her in front of everyone there, to claim her as his own. He didn't know why but with so many young men staring at her, he felt a sudden urge of posessiveness. Was this what jealousy felt like?

She sat down next to him and smiled. No one seemed to notice her choice; the other mentors would know she chose to sit next to him because he was her mentor, although she did notice Hermione there, smiling at her sweetly but with a slight look of questioning. Perhaps Hermione had thought she would sit next to her. Aria smiled back and waved kindly.

"Mr. Malfoy, how nice to see you this evening," she said in mock formality.

"Miss De La Cour, it is rather nice to see you out of the office, I must say. How have you been since our last meeting?" he said, his grey eyes sparked with mischief as he spoke back in his haughty yet professional sounding voice.

"Oh, I have been most satisfied," she said with a smirk. "In fact, just last night I was so _satisfied_ with life, that I slept amazingly, and I almost couldn't wake up this morning."

"Oh really, how strange. I myself last night was thinking while _showering_ , how _satisfied_ I was as well with life. You know I do all my best thinking in the shower," he drawled seductively as he drank from his goblet of spiced mead.

No one seemed to notice their little game of words they were playing, although a short, plump witch who sat next to Lucius at the Professor's table did look at them with interest. Aria and Lucius ate their meal, talking in innuendo the entire time. By the end of their meal both of them were incredibly aroused, and luckily for Lucius he had on his thick black robes which concealed his rather large erection. Aria noticed his robes had green trim and the crest of Slytherin house on it. He looked dashing, and she did agree that she couldn't imagine him wearing any of the other school colors. They walked out of the Great Hall together, but parted ways, as he was headed towards the dungeons and she was headed upstairs back to her room. They looked at each other with longing. Unspoken words of love in their eyes. Without a word he smirked at her one last time, turned on his heel and walked away.

That night Aria spent the night alone. He didn't come up to see her. Perhaps he thought it too dangerous to do so that first night, or perhaps he wanted her to enjoy some alone time getting to know the feel of the school. She missed him greatly; as she had been so used to his warm body besides her every night, and the bed felt too big and cold. Before bed she looked out the window which overlooked the great, vast lake. The moon's reflection shimmered in the water and Aria looked up at the great white orb in the sky and immediately thought of her Lucius. Tomorrow she would have to sneak down to find his rooms. One night apart was about all she could handle now.


	15. Chapter 15-Loyalty

Aria awoke the next morning a bit tired after a restless night. Being apart from Lucius during the night had her tossing and turning and she felt rather alone, in such a large castle. She wondered how he had slept, and she knew that at some point today she would have to find him to tell him she couldn't stand a night apart from him. She felt rather silly and needy at her emotions about being away from him, but their connection and bond was so strong and all encompassing, that she truly felt incomplete without him. She hoped he felt the same and wouldn't be turned off by her strong need for him.

Aria checked her schedule and saw that today she would be touring Gryffindor house and Hufflepuff house. Aria was excited to work with Hermione and she was greatly anticipating meeting Neli, the Hufflepuff representative. Aria learned that Neli was a bit older than Hermione's age, roughly in her mid 30s, but had been a well-loved Hufflepuff while she had attended Hogwarts and now was not only a mentor in the Ministry's program, but she worked in the Ministry's regulation of rare and magical creatures department.

Aria showered and got ready. She wore a red tight-fitting sweater dress, which nicely hugged her curves, and a pair of heeled ankle boots. Again, she placed her Solemmari crest pin on her chest area of her dress and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Her heart lightened at once, when again the first thing she noticed when she walked into the grand room was Lucius. He was sitting at the same spot he sat at last night and the chair she had sat at remained empty, waiting for her. She smiled widely at seeing her gorgeous lover across the room, his shining platinum hair pulled back with a silk ribbon at his neck, a style he wore which she loved, paired with his iconic matte black robes. As she walked down the length of the room, she saw his eyes dance over her body, as he clearly enjoyed the view of her curves in the tight dress she was wearing. She noticed the spark in his eye as she got closer and knew he had missed her just as much as she missed him last night.

"Good morning Mr. Malfoy," she said sweetly as she took her seat and looked at him, deep into his eyes.

He looked back at her with a discrete tenderness and passion, that only she could notice. "Good morning Miss De La Cour. Did you enjoy your first night in the castle?"

"It was nice, but I find myself a bit tired this morning, as I was quite restless all night…" she said plainly, as she piled some fruit on her plate and took a piece of toast and buttered it.

"And why is that?" he asked, still looking intensely at her.

"Well you see…I am rather used to certain _sleeping_ arrangements and I must say I rather missed those arrangements and found it hard to sleep…without…" she trailed off, knowing she mustn't' say anything someone would overhear and find suspicious.

"Well tonight that must be remedied. We can't have you tired and upset," he said with a smirk playing on his lips. God, Aria had missed him so much it hurt.

"Yes," she said rather seriously as she looked at him. He looked back and neither of them spoke or said anything for what seemed like an age. They were in a trance, as they each stared into their soulmate's eyes. Aria subconsciously was moving her hand towards his, wanting to reach out and touch him. His eyes darted down to her moving hand, he didn't move his, as he dared her to do it, but before she could touch him a voice interrupted their trances.

"Hi Aria! Ready for this morning? I can't wait for you to see Gryffindor!" said a very cheery Hermione. Aria hadn't even seen her approach and slightly jolted out of her trance at the sudden shift in attentions, her hand jerked back away from Lucius and she placed it in her lap. She noticed Lucius had flinched away too and went back to eating his breakfast in silence beside her.

"Oh…ummm ya…yes!" Aria said as her thoughts cleared. "Sorry, my mind was elsewhere," she laughed breathily and flushed slightly. "But yes, I am so excited to see Gryffindor…and all the houses actually!"

"Good," Hermione said happily but with a hint of concern in her eyes. Aria noticed she kept glancing over at Lucius. After a brief moment of silence Hermione acknowledged him slightly. "Mr. Malfoy…" she said rather coldly.

Lucius looked up at Hermione with cold indifference. "Miss Granger…" he said just flatly, and then turned back to his breakfast.

"You know Aria, you can come sit with me and some of the other professors if you want. You should really come meet some of them," she said with another glance over at Lucius.

Aria could tell she couldn't quite understand why she had chosen to sit with Lucius, but she wouldn't leave his side now, let alone have someone dictate to her where she should sit. She felt fiercely loyal to Lucius, especially now, as her body had been deprived of him for over 24 hours.

"Perhaps another time," she smiled warmly, but clearly declining Hermione's offer. Hermione smiled back in politeness, but Aria could sense her questioning her judgement.

"Well alright then. I'll see you on the seventh floor in about an hour. Meet me at the portrait of The Fat Lady…you'll know which one immediately…" she said before glancing at Lucius one more time, then smiling at Aria and walked back to her seat.

Lucius broke the silence immediately. "You may go sit with them if you'd like," he said politely yet devoid of emotion.

"Don't be silly. I am most content right here," she said in happy defiance. She looked over at him and saw briefly a small smirk flash across his lips. "What will you be doing today Mr. Malfoy?"

"I have some meetings with the professors and deans here, as I frequently offer my financial assistance to various programs here at the school, and of course I will be getting ready to show you around Slytherin house for tomorrow. The students and I want to make it special for you…impress you, as it were. We are proud to be showoffs, us Slytherins," he smirked even wider.

"Well then," she smiled widely, "I sincerely can't wait for tomorrow then… _and tonight…_ " she said the last part so quietly under her breath, that she wasn't sure Lucius had heard her.

Lucius had indeed heard the last part of her sentence and his eyes flashed over to hers in delight. He raised his eyebrow seductively but discreetly at her and responded with a slight "Mhmm," in agreement.

Aria's stomach flipped in aroused anticipation. God, she wished she could just kiss him and have him right then and there on the large table. She missed his touch so incredibly much, it felt like ages since they last embraced or kissed. Aria sighed out a large sigh of longing, something which Lucius himself picked up on immediately.

He ever so slowly reached his right hand under the table and put it on her upper thigh. He squeezed and rubbed his hand up and down her thigh, so sensually that Aria's breathing grew more and more rapid in longing. He did it so slowly and discreetly that no one would know what was going on under the table. It just looked as if his hand was sitting in his lap. His other hand picked up his cup of coffee and drank it contentedly as if nothing was going on. His amazing hand came up even higher and immediately found her hot core as he slowly started rubbing her through her panties. Aria briefly squeezed her eyes shut and drew in a sharp breath at his touch. Even through the lacy fabric of her panties it felt so amazing, his hands knew exactly where to touch and rub. Lucius turned his head to stare at her over the rim of his coffee cup and he smiled at her expression as he took another slow sip.

Aria looked over at the incredible man next to her as he rubbed and loved her silently and secretly. Her breathing was growing rapid and she knew she must control herself, but yet she couldn't. She closed her eyes once more and just before she felt as if she would scream aloud into the room, she felt his hand leave her and he stood up rather suddenly. Aria practically sobbed aloud at the loss of touch and looked up at the tall man standing next to her.

"Miss De La Cour, I look forward to seeing you later. Have a pleasant day," he said with a wide, naughty smirk.

She could do nothing but stare at him, her mouth hanging open in slight shock, but then she laughed to herself at his haughtiness as he walked away from her, back down the hall and out the door. "That man!" she thought to herself as she recovered from the memory of his recent touches. She would get him for that later, she thought to herself as she smirked widely.

Aria finished the rest of her breakfast in frustrated bliss. She had so badly needed to release her longing for him, and he had almost brought her there, but had then left so suddenly. The aching longing in her lower belly and her sensitive clit would be driving her mad all day. She would wait for him.

She made her way out of the Great Hall and up to the seventh floor. After a few minutes of walking around the long hallways, she knew immediately which portrait to wait at for Hermione because the Fat Lady was singing rather loudly, almost shrill-like as Aria approached. Aria couldn't help but cringe at the sound emitting from the portrait, which greatly offended the Fat Lady inside who noticed Aria's grimace.

"How dare you! Grimacing at me!? The greatest voice known to man!" shrieked the portrait.

Aria instantly began turning red as the image of the Fat Lady yelled at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Mean to what? To insult me?! Well too late for that. Again, I say, how dare you! What are you loitering for here anyways? You're no Gryffindor!"

Just before Aria could respond, Hermione thankfully came around the corner rolling her eyes at the Fat Lady's shrieks.

"Don't pay her any mind Aria, she is always in a mood," Hermione said calmly as she looked over towards the portrait.

"Miss Granger!" the Fat Lady retorted, but clearly respected Hermione, "this young lady gravely insulted my talent!"

Hermione ignored her and said the password to get in under her breath, "I am sure she didn't mean anything by it; now please let us in."

The Fat Lady gave one more angry stare over at Aria, and the next thing Aria saw was the portrait swinging almost violently open to reveal the entrance to Gryffindor house. Aria stepped in after Hermione and let her eyes adjust to the dark, yet cozy atmosphere of the room, completely decorated in tones of scarlet and gold. It was rather beautiful, and Aria felt an instant sense of warmth spread around her as the crackling flames in the fireplace created a homey feel, and the plush red armchairs seemed to draw one in to relax in them. A large portrait of a majestic lion hung on the fireplace mantle and on one side of the room she noticed a large winding wooden staircase leading up into a tower.

"Welcome to Gryffindor!" said Hermione happily. Hermione herself had bright eyes as she looked at her former house in pride and nostalgia. "Gosh I always love coming back here…this was home for me for many years. I've missed it so…" her eyes started to well up with happy tears of remembrance.

"Anyways, let me show you around. This is our common room, where most of the students come to either relax, talk with friends or do homework," she said as she pointed to some wooden tables and chairs, indicating that is where the students would often study. "Then up those stairs is the great tower which leads up to the dormitories. One side is for girls and the other side is for boys. Gryffindor Tower is one of the three largest towers in all of Hogwarts. That is because we are so important…" she smirked and laughed as she jokingly teased of her house's greatness.

"This is a beautiful place," Aria smiled towards Hermione. "I would have felt so comfortable here and at home as well." Her statement making Hermione smile in pride.

"Come sit by the fire with me," Hermione said as she motioned for Aria to sit with her in one of the plush, elegant red couches. After they both sat, Aria noticed Hermione reaching into her small bag, and was astonished that her arm was practically all the way in the small bag as she dug around.

"What? How is that possible?" Aria said in wonder was she stared at Hermione continuing to dig around searching for something. She heard several clings and clacks of things hitting each other or falling down into some unknown abyss.

"Oh this?" Hermione laughed. "I never leave the house without this anymore. Ever since the War, this little thing literally saved my life multiple times. Now that life is more or less back to normal, I still can't seem to part with it. It is rather useful. First things first though," she began as she pulled out a colorful box that had the words Weasley's Wizard Wheezes on the top.

"This is for you! We wanted to get you something fun from some of our popular fellow Gryffindors. My ex-boyfriend Ron and his brother George run this shop in Diagon Alley, it's filled with all kinds of fun wizard treats and tricks," she laughed as she rolled her eyes. "I personally wanted to get you something classier, but all of the Gryffindors agreed that they wanted to show you the fun side of Gryffindor….so here you go…"

Aria chuckled as Hermione handed her over the box that was filled with all kinds of fun goodies. "This is so fun! Thank you! Tell the Gryffindors that I will now know them as the house of fun," she smiled brightly, to which Hermione smiled back and laughed herself.

"And now down to the business of why you are here," said Hermione as she reached back into her bag and pulled out the gloriously shining sword of Gryffindor. The way she clutched to it tenderly and at the same time gently showed Aria that Hermione must have felt extremely proud and lucky to be holding such an item. "This item is very precious to me…to Gryffindor…to the whole Wizarding World. It should be regarded as one of the saviors and heroes of the Great War."

Hermione gently laid the sword down on the table in front of them, the rubies on the hilt glinting and sparkling in the light of the crackling fire. It was a rather amazing sight to behold and Aria couldn't stop staring at its beauty.

"I've heard of this sword. It is extremely famous, even where I am from…but correct me if I am wrong…but doesn't this belong to Harry Potter? I had thought it ended up with him after the War."

"It did," smiled Hermione, as she remembered those fateful days after the end of the War. "But when we told him that we had located the other Relics and wanted to return them to their rightful houses, he couldn't be more agreeable to the idea."

"Gosh I would love to meet him someday…it would be an honor," she said as she smiled down at the sword, imagining the great wizard himself holding it.

"I am sure that can be arranged," smirked Hermione. "He truly is one of the kindest and most humble wizards…even after all he has done."

Aria reached into her small bag and pulled out a pair of white gloves so she could safely hold the object. "I always have these handy, just in case," she smiled as she slipped on the gloves. "May I?" she said pointing towards the sword.

"Of course," said Hermione.

Aria picked up the sword by the hilt and held it delicately as she examined it. She definitely wanted to find a way to carefully, yet respectfully preserve and display it. She stood up from the couch and made her way around the table so that she stood in front of the grand fireplace. She held the sword in front of the mantle so that the metal glinted brilliantly in the light of the fire.

"Here," said Aria with a smile on her face. She looked over at Hermione. "It will hang here. On this mantle right under the portrait of the Gryffindor Lion. That way it will have a spot of prominence for all of the Gryffindors to see. The light from the fire really enhances its beauty and power."

"I quite agree," said Hermione as she stood up and made her way to where Aria stood with the sword. "But how will we protect it. While I want to trust my fellow Gryffindors, we are known to be troublemakers sometimes…I wouldn't want anyone to steal it," she smirked.

"Oh, that is simple and something I have already planned out. We will use a series of simple yet strong defensive charms. We will be able to have the sword be on display without a case, but if anyone tries to take it, there will be an invisible barrier around the object. No one will be able to grab it. Only certain people will have the unlocking spell such as the Ministry and the Headmistress…. I also have devised a charm that will encase the object in its own 'cool air bubble' so that it is temperature controlled. That is best for preserving historical artifacts," Aria said proudly at her plan.

"This sounds perfect! Great thinking Aria," she smiled warmly at her.

"Thanks Hermione. That means a lot coming from you," Aria smiled and blushed slightly, as she was quite humbled. Aria handed Hermione back the sword, where she gently placed it back into the depths of her bag. "I was also hoping to display all four relics during the Samhain Celebration Ball, so that all of the students of Hogwarts can see all four relics before they are sent to their individual houses."

"That sounds like a lovely idea. I agree, everyone should be able to see all four items. They are all so important," agreed Hermione. "Speaking of the Samhain Ball, were you planning on going alone?"

Aria was slightly taken aback at Hermione's question. She knew Hermione was most likely fishing for information about her status on her relationship with Lucius. "Ummmm…I suppose. It didn't say we could bring a guest…even if we could I would probably just go with…" Aria didn't finish her sentence, realizing she was about to say Lucius.

"Were you going to say Lucius?" Hermione asked point blank.

Aria didn't respond back but her increasing blush told Hermione that the answer was yes.

"Aria, as someone who knows what that man is capable of, I must warn you that he is bad news. After the War, I thought he had all but vanished from the Wizarding World, but somehow he made his way back into society…into the ministry…even with him being monitored and his rehabilitation courses…I still wouldn't trust him with anything."

Aria was rather shocked at how open Hermione was being on her feelings towards Lucius, but that same sense of fierce loyalty and protection for Lucius from earlier made Aria slightly angry that Hermione would try and force her feelings of the man upon her own mind.

"I understand that I might not know what has exactly happened in the past, but the man I know has been nothing but amazing…I can't describe it," Aria said looking into the fire as she thought about the man she loved more than anything.

"He tortured me…" Hermione said coldly.

Aria looked over at Hermione but saw that she was now looking into the fire herself, most likely remembering her harrowing past with Lucius. Without thinking, Aria grabbed Hermione's hand and held it tightly in comfort.

"And I am so sorry that that happened to you. I will never know what that was like…but all I can tell you now is that he truly is different. I know I have only known him a short time, but he really is the most magnificent man. He wants to be a good man," Aria said staring deeply into Hermione's eyes, pleading with her silently to believe her.

"I don't think I will ever be able to see that side of him…" Hermione said quietly.

"I understand," Aria smiled softly at her, "But know that he would never do anything like that to me and I feel nothing but comfort and safety with him. He treats me amazingly…" Aria said, realizing she was probably saying more than she should. She squeezed Hermione's hand in reassurance and then let it go. She wanted to end this conversation.

"So, it's true then? You two are together? I've heard some rumors…" Hermione asked gently.

Aria really didn't want to answer. Not only did she not want to reveal her relationship with him yet, but she wasn't sure what Lucius' stance on this was yet either.

"He is my mentor…" was all Aria could say as she stared off back into the crackling fire.

"But more?" Hermione pressed on.

Aria simply stared back at her, neither confirming nor denying her comment. Lucius was _so much more,_ and no one else would understand their connection which had been prophesized through history. Aria couldn't help but smile as her heart nearly burst at the thought of it; of their love

"I see," Hermione said, sighing out as she realized what Aria's lack of words meant. "Be careful okay…that is all I am asking."

"I will…as I have no reason to be afraid." Aria said as she stood up from the couch and began to make her way towards the entrance to the common room. She turned back however, with one last thought. "I hope we can still be friends Hermione."

Hermione smiled a half smile and looked back at her with genuine kindness. "Of course, Aria. Any witch as kind and intelligent as you is an automatic friend of mine."

"Thank you," Aria said with a warm smile as her eyes began to fill with happy tears which luckily didn't spill over. With that she made her way out of the room and began her decent back downstairs towards Hufflepuff house.

Aria was told to meet Neli, the Hufflepuff member from the Ministry, right outside the grand kitchens of Hogwarts. She was to look for an alcove that had a large pile of barrels, as that would be the secret entrance. Aria was thankful that it wasn't hard to find the location and at around 11 o'clock, she saw a petit, sweet looking young woman with dark brown hair making her way down the hallway. Aria smiled as the young woman made her way up to her.

"Hi I'm Neli!" the girl said with a high-pitched bubbly voice. Aria instantly warmed to her.

"Hi Neli! I'm Aria, it's nice to meet you. I am very excited to see the Hufflepuff common room today."

"Well, we are excited to have you," Neli smiled back. Aria noticed Neli had taken out her wand and tapped in a rhythm on a certain barrel. The barrel magically opened and Neli motioned with her head for Aria to follow her inside. "Here we are!"

Aria was quite surprised as the tunnel leading into the Hufflepuff common room was made from dirt. She felt exactly like the house animal, a badger, as she made her way through the tunnel and out into the common room. It was a lovely and bright room with low ceilings and bright yellow furniture. The black accents made the room look like a bumblebee and mixed with the hanging plants all over the ceiling and on the walls, the room was very natural and charming.

"This is such a cute place!" Aria said as she smiled at her surroundings.

Neli giggled with Aria. "Don't let the boys of Hufflepuff hear you. I am sure they wouldn't want to be described as cute." She saw Neli move over to one of the light wooden tables where she noticed a tray was sitting. "The students made these for you!" Neli exclaimed in delight as she brought over a tray of the most delicious looking shortbread cookies. "The Hufflepuffs are right next to the kitchens as you saw, so we always have the best access to the best food first! The house elves were excited when some of the students said they wanted to bake you something special for your arrival."

"How sweet! Thank you all so much," Aria smiled happily as she took a cookie off the platter and popped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes in bliss; the cookie was the most deliciously buttery dessert she had ever tasted. "Mmmm, so good."

Neli smiled in delight as she took in Aria's approval. She was clearly proud of her fellow young Hufflepuffs.

Aria smiled and started walking around the room taking in her surroundings. Her eyes instantly fell upon a giant portrait of a portly, happy looking woman with long dark braided hair. The woman was holding a golden, chalice like cup and Aria instantly knew it to be the Relic of Helga Hufflepuff.

"This must be Helga Hufflepuff!" Aria said as she pointed up at the epic portrait. Neli smiled back and nodded her head.

"Yes, that's her alright. Isn't she such a strong and powerful looking witch? I've always loved this portrait."

"Well then this must be the spot where we will display the cup!" Aria said in delight.

"Yes, that would be perfect!" Neli agreed.

"Perhaps we can get a pedestal in the same honey-colored wood that the rest of the furniture is in here and the cup can proudly be on display as it sits atop the pedestal, right underneath the portrait," Aria said as she envisioned the scene.

Neli seemed to love that idea and Aria explained to her what she explained to Hermione about the defensive charms and the cooling system in order to best protect the item. Neli then showed the rest of the common rooms to Aria, and even showed her into the girl's dormitory which were a charming series of circular rooms which were found through circular doors. Everything was so bright, airy and earthy, that Aria couldn't help but feel incredibly happy and at ease in Hufflepuff.

Neli made sure to give Aria her tray of cookies and Aria happily added them to her box of Weasley Wheezes and made her way back up through the castle, all the way to the top where her room was in the teacher's quarters to put down her things and get refreshed. She ended up skipping lunch, and instead opted for a nice, long nap. By the time she woke it was practically dinner time and so she brushed through her long, blond hair once more before making her way to the Great Hall for dinner. She was relieved to see Lucius and once again her heart started beating rapidly as she made her way down the Hall, all the while he took in her face and body in hidden delight, that only she could sense through his stare. She sat next to him and smiled widely as she breathed in the glorious, manly scent of him. She had missed it so.

"Good evening Miss De La Cour. I take it that your tours of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff went well today?"

"Oh yes it was amazing being able to see both common rooms. We've already figured out how we will be displaying the relics in each house too. Everything is going smoothly!" she said happily.

"Lucky girl…to be able to see every house at Hogwarts and their private common rooms…even I can't say that is something I have done before," he smirked as he looked over at her. "Well done on a great day," he said genuinely.

"Thank you," she said breathily back as she reached for some dinner. The two of them ate in comfortable silence for most of the dinner until right before they were about finished Lucius spoke softly under his breath so that only Aria could hear.

"Meet outside of your room in 20 minutes; I shall be waiting," he said as he looked over at her with a glint in his eye, causing the deep grey to almost seem a shining metallic silver.

He need say no more. With one final sip of her wine, she stood up from her seat, looked back at him with one last tantalizing smile and headed out towards the door to make her way upstairs. Lucius watched her go, admiring her firm backside in her tight dress as she made her way out of the Hall. He could wait no longer, and he already felt his groin aching with longing. He breathed in deeply with the intent on controlling his hunger and passion for her, but it was too late, he already had a raging erection. Within ten minutes he stood up and hurriedly made his way out of the Hall and up to his lover.

* * *

Aria paced around her room as she waited for Lucius to come up and get her. Again, she felt so silly being so in need of him, but ever since their discovery of each other and the realization that they were meant to be, she found it almost painful to be away from him. After about only 10 minutes she heard the faintest knocking on her door. She immediately opened it to see her lover, tall and impressive standing outside her door.

"I couldn't wait 20 minutes…" he laughed slightly at his own impatience.

"Good, because I was finding it rather hard to wait myself," she said as she slipped out of her room and into the hallway. The second she was out of her room and next to him she instantly slid her arms around his solid, strong body and embraced him. She breathed him in, relishing in his scent and his warmth. He held her for a while, doing quite the same to her, but then he pulled away.

"Not here…somewhere more private," he smirked. "Luckily we are already pretty high up and students rarely come up here during the night…we will be practically unnoticed, and we will be taking the back way."

She took his hand and he led her down the other side of the hallway. He opened the door at the very end and revealed a very high winding stone staircase. This staircase was a lot more private than the main ones which moved around every which way. Aria much preferred these stationary stairs and wished she had known about them before. For several minutes he led her up a series of winding stair ways, across hallways and up several more towers. By the time they had reached their destination, Aria was extremely winded. He seemed completely unphased, however.

"The Astronomy Tower," he said as he motioned with his head for her to look where they were. The sight was spectacular. She could see for miles and miles and she could see the vast expanse of the castle below her and to either side of her. They were definitely at the highest point of the castle. She felt so close to the stars themselves and as the sky darkened each star that appeared seemed to be so close she could almost touch it.

"This is amazing," she breathed heavily as she was still catching her breath. Lucius looked pleased at her reaction. She turned to him then and once again embraced him and just held him for what seemed like a very long time.

He at last pulled away and then took her chin lightly in his hand and guided her face up so that he kissed her with the most tender passion. It was a strong kiss, yet gentle. Aria however, wanted more. She deepened the kiss and searched for his tongue with hers. She moaned into his mouth and he answered in a deep guttural moan of his own. He was already rock hard, just from kissing her and he knew their reunion would be intense to say the least. She pulled away suddenly and then reached her hands down to begin unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants, he allowed her to do this and smirked proudly as his cock sprang out, hard as iron and awaiting her. She gasped as she saw him revealed to her and she looked up into his eyes with unbridled passion.

He went to reach down to begin undressing her, but she stopped him and crouched on her knees so that her face was level with his throbbing erection. He froze, not knowing how to respond. He had never felt her lips upon his cock before, and although he had longed for it, he had never assumed. She looked up at him with big green eyes, and he could sense her mischief and sexual longing. She looked so insanely gorgeous, staring up at him with those emerald eyes he almost couldn't begin to fathom what was about to happen.

"Aria…" he began, as if to stop her but then she began kissing him all over and he couldn't bring himself to stop her. She kissed his upper thighs, his hip bones, his bellybutton but never actually _there._ It was slow and amazing torture and he moaned out in impatience.

"Now you know how I felt at breakfast this morning," she smirked up at him. He couldn't help but smirk back, knowing he had teased her so relentlessly this morning and had left her so suddenly.

" _Touché," he_ said back.

Finally, her soft, pink tongue came to rest against the smooth head of his cock, licking the drop of precum that sat there, waiting for her. She closed her eyes and moaned. She had never tasted him so intimately before. He tasted so good to her; like a sweet earthy taste, that was completely him. Lucius too closed his eyes and moaned at the sudden feel of her warm tongue on him and hissed in a sharp breath. God she felt so good, he thought.

And then her whole mouth was closed around his head, and her tongue was licking around him so perfectly and smoothly he thought he might burst at any moment. More and more she took him with every lick and every suck. Her tongue slid up and down his long shaft deliciously and her moaning caused the most pleasurable vibrations upon him that he couldn't stop moaning.

" _Aria…my god…you are heaven…you are an angel…"_ he said through his moans of pleasure.

Her right hand then came up to grasp his shaft at the same time her tongue continued to slide up and down his rigid member. She was pumping him and licking him to the point his sentences no longer sounded coherent but only words managed to come out, _"Fuck…so good…yes…my love…sublime…mustn't…need you now…"_

He reluctantly stepped back so that his cock fell out of her mouth with a slight popping sound. She looked up at him in confusion, but he was immediately down on his knees at her level now. He had removed his thick black robes so quickly, she hadn't even noticed but saw that he had laid it out over the floor.

"Lay back my love, I must be inside of you now…" he said urgently, his breathing rapid.

Aria could only obey as she laid back. She hadn't had time to take off her dress or her shoes, but Lucius hiked up her dress to her stomach so that her lower half was revealed to him. In one sudden motion he ripped her panties off of her, which caused her to moan in delight. He positioned his throbbing cock at her entrance and plunged in. They moaned together loudly at the feeling of finally being complete. The last time they had done anything sexual it had only been with their hands, and the feeling of their connected bodies was a feeling both of them had sorely missed.

"Lucius, I missed you so much," she practically screamed as her pussy clenched around his cock.

He grunted in pleasure at the feeling of her muscles contracting around him. "I can't fathom how I have survived without this for days…I now know I was living incomplete up until now."

Aria closed her eyes at the tenderness of his words and reveled in the feeling of him beginning to move in and out of her gently at first but slowly building more and more of a rhythm. With each thrust the base of his cock stroked perfectly over her sensitive clit. It didn't take long for her to scream out in orgasmic bliss as she pulsated and writhed on his equally as sensitive cock.

As she screamed out her pleasure, his thrusts began getting quicker and quicker. The feeling of him pounding into her as she still came was one of pure heaven and Aria was sure she had died and gone off to heaven herself. She felt him growing harder and more erratic and heard his voice through his groans of lust.

"Look at our connected bodies…I want you to look at me going in and out of you and as I shoot my seed deep up into you…look at us…at our perfection," he practically growled. Aria looked down and stared at where he thrusted into her over and over again. All of a sudden, she saw his shaft begin to pulsate and he froze as he shot his seed deep into her. It was one of the sexiest sights she had seen, and she moaned aloud with him as she practically came again from the sight alone.

He collapsed off and to the side of her, his breathing still heavy. After a while Aria laughed slightly and cuddled in closer to his warm body. "I feel like a naughty girl sneaking off to meet my boyfriend in the middle of the night. Having sex at school seems so wrong…. but so exciting."

"You are my naughty girl and I love it," Lucius said seductively as he reached his head down and nibbled on the sensitive skin of her neck.

He then wrapped the two sides of his robes up and around them so that they were cocooned in their scents and their love and together they watched the stars shining in the sky, so close they could almost touch them.


	16. Chapter 16-Slytherin Traits

* * *

The lovers stayed in the Astronomy Tower stroking each other's sensitive skin and holding each other until they heard the castle clock strike midnight. They had slowly gotten up and made their way silently back through the castle and back down towards Aria's room. Lucius again felt that thrill of excitement as he snuck around the dark and mysterious castle at night with the woman he loved. He felt like he was a teen back in school again, breaking the rules on any whim.

Aria didn't have to struggle much to convince him to stay with her that night. All it took was an innocent and softly spoken _please_ and Lucius was hers for the night. He had internally scoffed at himself for being such a tender-hearted softy when it came to the young woman he held in his arms, but as he held her while she slept and heard her content, heavy breathing, he wouldn't have it any other way and soon he joined her in sleep as he breathed just as contentedly.

Aria awoke the next morning, fully rested and refreshed but with a slight disappointment that Lucius was not there beside her. She understood though. The castle was bustling with students and professors in the morning and it would be rather obvious if he were to have come out of her room. He must have either apparated or used the Floo back to his room early in the morning before she awoke. She rolled over in her bed and stretched, and she could smell his musky pine-like scent on the pillow and sheets and she closed her eyes briefly in bliss as she breathed it in. She eventually got up and checked her phone for the time and was slightly startled as she realized she only had 30 minutes before her appointment to meet James at the Ravenclaw common room entrance.

" _Shit…"_ she muttered under her breath. She wouldn't have time to go down to get breakfast, thanks to Lucius' warm comforting presence, she must had slept straight through her alarm. She quickly changed into a tight-fitting black pencil skirt and matching black peplum top and over it she put a stylish olive-green blazer. She realized the color green might look like she was playing favoritism towards Slytherin, and in a way she supposed she subconsciously was. She laughed to herself as she put on her makeup highlighting her big green eyes which popped vibrantly against the color of her blazer. With ten minutes to spare, she grabbed a few of the shortbread cookies from Hufflepuff the day before and ate them quickly. Then she rushed out her door, walking as fast as she could in her black heels, and sped down the moving stairs towards the fifth floor where the entrance to Ravenclaw was.

She was glad to see her guide, James, hadn't arrived yet and so she was able to compose herself and catch her breath. Right on time, James arrived. He was a friendly looking middle-aged man, probably about Lucius' age, but unlike Lucius who looked nothing near his age, James really did look his age. His hair was a mousy brown streaked with grey and he wore spectacles which aged him further. He wore a blue sweater vest and grey pants and he looked like one of the students only older. He was exceptionally friendly, if not soft spoken though and Aria smiled at him warmly as he introduced himself.

"Hello Aria, I'm James. Welcome to Ravenclaw tower," he said politely as he nodded towards a grand wooden door with a knocker in the shape of an eagle.

"Hi James! I am so excited to be here. I have been very interested in Ravenclaw house actually. I feel like I might be a kindred spirit," she laughed breathily.

"Really?" James said in genuine interest. "Ravenclaw would be happy to welcome you then," he smiled.

James knocked the eagle knocker once, and then Aria was surprised to hear a rather magical sounding voice speaking out from the open beak of the eagle. It was asking James a riddle.

" _If I am holding a bee, what do I have in my eye?"_

Aria was struck by the riddle and immediately her brain went into overdrive as she tried to solve the riddle. James was thinking to himself as well, but he was too fast for Aria to catch up to and within about 7 seconds he had the answer.

"Beauty," he said simply and confidently. The door unlocked and immediately opened for James. "Follow me please," he said politely as he smiled over at her. Aria followed him but was still thinking about the riddle, and then it clicked in her brain and she laughed.

"Ahhh I get it now! Beauty is in the eye of the _bee-holder!_ Very clever! I am rather upset I didn't think of it sooner…." She sighed. Perhaps she wasn't a Ravenclaw in spirit after all.

"Oh, don't worry…there have been many, many times I have stood outside of this door unable to get in because I couldn't figure out the riddle. I am only glad I didn't have to humiliate myself in front of you this morning!" he laughed

Aria laughed along with him but only then realized that they had come into the center of a gorgeous room. It was perhaps the most beautiful common room she had seen yet. The ceilings were incredibly high, and she realized they must be in the center of the tower. Large arched windows adorned every side of the room and blue and bronze silks hung all around to create a very royal feel. There was a stunning blue carpet with stars which matched the gorgeously painted star ceiling. She also noticed a beautiful woman in the form of a marble statue in what she could only assume was Rowena Ravenclaw. Aria's mouth hung open in wonder as she took in the gorgeous room.

"This room is incredibly beautiful," she said breathily as she walked around the space. James seemed to be rather nostalgic for the room and nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes. I spent so many peaceful and wonderful nights here. Even the dormitories are decorated like this. Blue and bronze silks with star and eagle decorations. And we boast our own private library," he said motioning over to a side of the room that had many bookshelves filled with various books, texts and volumes.

"That is rather special. I haven't seen any of the other common rooms have their own library like this. I love that," she said as she smiled at James.

"Well myself and the Ravenclaw students heard you were coming and that you loved history, so we figured we would get you a gift that we thought would be perfect for your interests," he said as he walked over to the bookshelves and pulled out a blue leather-bound book. In silver writing on the cover read, _The History of Ravenclaw House and its Founder._ James handed the book over to her with a smile. "This is for you and we hope you will enjoy reading about the history of our great house."

"How kind of you all! I love stuff like this…thank you so much," she said, with a very genuine smile of appreciation. He smiled warmly back and then spoke.

"So now, why we are here today," he said excitedly as he opened the satchel he had been carrying, which Aria had just now noticed, and pulled out a decent sized black velvet box. He slowly opened the box to reveal a gorgeous silver tiara in the shape of an eagle head with open wings with encrusted blue sapphires and diamonds.

Aria breathed in a breath of amazement at the beautiful item before her. It was, without a doubt, the most expensive of all of the relics, and she could only image it being priceless. James could see Aria was momentarily speechless and continued.

"It was thought to have been completely destroyed during the War as it had been plunged into Fiendfyre to kill the Horcrux that lived within it. However, after the War and during the refurbishment and repair of the castle, the Headmistress entered the Room of Requirement, where the Feindfyre took place, and found it in the middle of the floor, seemingly unscathed. It was rather miraculous. However, you will note if you hold it, it is almost too hot to the touch. The metal seems to be permanently burning."

Aria reached into her bag and put on the white museum gloves she carried with her for occasions such as this. James delicately passed the diadem to her and as she held it, even though the fabric of the gloves she could feel the heat coming off of the metal. She was fascinated yet slightly terrified of the object and gingerly passed it back to James, who put it back in the velvet box.

"Well as I have let the other heads of the houses know, that I luckily have devised a temperature-controlled cooling system for all of the relics to be placed in whilst on display, this helps to preserve them. I think that should also help control the heat of this particular relic…. hopefully…" she bit her lip in thought as she looked around the room at where it could be displayed. Her eyes moved to the middle of the circular room and envisioned in the middle of the starry carpet a beautifully carved, Grecian-style stone pillar in which the diadem could sit majestically atop of. James followed her eyesight and seemed to understand what she was thinking.

"I think there would be perfect. The light from the windows would shine on the diadem and make it look rather otherworldly and epic I would think," he smiled and nodded.

"Exactly," she smiled back. "I want it to be in a place of prominence. There will be defensive charms around it so that it can't be touched; to protect the item and the students."

"Brilliant," smiled James.

Aria got along well with James. They chatted some more on all things ranging from history to books and so much more. Perhaps Lucius was right, maybe she would make a rather good Ravenclaw. As she thought of Lucius, she checked the time on her phone and realized she was running behind yet again. She was due to visit Slytherin next and she had only 20 minutes to spare.

"Oh darn, I really have to go, I am so sorry I must have lost track of time, I was enjoying our conversation too much," she laughed and smiled.

James blushed slightly. "Well I am sad to see you go…" he said with a genuine tone of sadness.

"Thank you for a wonderful morning and I am glad we were able to work together," said Aria politely.

"Me too," said James as he blushed again. "Perhaps I will see you later? Maybe at the Samhain Ball?"

"Oh…um ya I will be there," said Aria awkwardly. She wasn't sure if James was about to ask to go with her, but she was already hurrying out the door and didn't give him time to speak further. "Thank you again!"

Had she missed the signs that James had perhaps had a crush on her? She wasn't too sure, but she had realized lately that she didn't notice other men anymore, sexually or flirtatiously or any other way. She was so dedicated to, and in love, with Lucius that she unintentionally ignored any flirting or looking that came her way and she in turn never looked at other men; she simply had no interest consciously and subconsciously.

She smiled as she made her way all the way down to the dungeons. It was as if a magnet was pulling her in the direction that she knew Lucius would be. When she finally arrived, she was greeted by none other than her love who had been waiting for her arrival. He looked as strong and elegant as ever in his black cloak and snake-head cane at his side. She was on time, but she smiled to herself as she thought about him wanting to be early so that he was there when she arrived

"Miss De La Cour, what a pleasure," he said through his honeyed voice as he looked at her with hungry and passionate longing.

"Good afternoon Mr. Malfoy," she said as she looked up into his eyes. "I am so excited to be touring Slytherin today."

"Well, we are delighted to welcome you," he said looking down at her with a smirk. He turned towards a plain stone wall and muttered something under his breath. Suddenly a door appeared, and Lucius opened it and held it open for her so she could step in.

As she stepped passed him, she breathed in his heavenly scent of spearmint and musk. As they walked through the dark corridor and into the common room, she briefly felt his hand touch her waist and squeeze. Her heart fluttered at his brief touch and she longed for him, but knew they had work to do at that moment. The contrast between their work relationship and their private relationship was practically comical.

They stepped inside a room, which had an other-worldly, haunted feel to it. The room itself was dark and lit dimly with green lamps which reflected off of the stone walls and floor. The room was decorated with fine silks in various shades of green and the couches were all rich looking black leather sofas and chairs. The feeling of the room gave Aria a chill but also a sense of power. She looked towards the windows and realized that the light that shone in was a murky green color. She stepped closer to the windows and realized it was water…. they were under water!

"Oh! I did not expect that!" she said slightly taken aback and getting an instant feeling of claustrophobia.

"We are under the lake," Lucius said matter of factly. "It can be rather jarring if you aren't used to it."

"Quite," she laughed nervously.

"This might make you feel better; as a token of thanks from Slytherin House for helping us preserve and protect Slytherin's Relic," he said as he reached into the deep pocket of his black cloak and pulled out a black velvet pouch with a green silk ribbon tied around it. He handed the delicate pouch to her and she opened it gently and pulled out a beautiful pearl bracelet. The pearls on the bracelet weren't white however, they were a deep sea-green and when they hit the light, they almost shined silver.

"This is stunning Lucius, thank you!" she said as she put the bracelet around her tiny wrist. It fit her perfectly.

"Don't thank me completely," he laughed. "It really was the idea of some of the older Slytherin students. The Slytherins have a connection to the lake since we essentially live under it..." he trailed off briefly and then continued. "Plus, anything I give you will always be much more precious…just like you are to me…" he said so softly she almost didn't hear. He briefly raised his long fingers to her cheek and brushed it lovingly yet briefly and then dropped his hand.

"Now Miss De La Cour," he said instantly going back to his fake professional act, which made her giggle slightly, "here is the object I believe we are both here about," he said as he pulled from his other pocket a beautiful golden locket with a green jewel encrusted 'S' on the front.

Aria reached into her bag and put on her white gloves as he handed her the locket. She examined it gently; it was a beautiful piece of history, but she noticed in the middle there was a gash that separated part of the 'S'.

"It is exquisite, but damaged…" she said as she looked at Lucius and noticed he was smiling down at her. Lucius had been enjoying looking at his lover as she concentrated. He loved seeing this side of her. Her extreme intelligence and wisdom only enhanced her beauty.

His smile faded slightly at her statement. "Yes. When the Horcrux in it was destroyed…it was stabbed with the Sword of Gryffindor. The very sword you saw yesterday."

"I see," she said as she listened to him and learned more about the item she was holding. She frowned slightly as she realized it most likely wouldn't be able to be repaired. "I don't know if a mark such as this, by something so powerful, can be repaired…I'm sorry," she said as she handed him back the locket.

"Perhaps it will remind people of its history even more…" he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Aria looked around the room, wondering where the best spot to put the locket on display would be. She noticed that just like the Gryffindor common room, there was a grand fireplace and above the fireplace hung a portrait of a beastly serpent.

"It is odd, but the Gryffindor common room is actually set up similarly to Slytherin's…I think the locket would best be displayed right here on the top of the mantlepiece, under the portrait of the serpent," she said looking over towards Lucius to gauge his reaction to this suggestion. "That is where Gryffindor will be displaying the Sword in their common room…I think it works well the same for Slytherin too."

"Hmmm…" he said as he thought about her suggestion. "While I don't think any Slytherin would like to be compared to Gryffindor, I think that spot is the most ideal too…" he said as he nodded his head in agreement.

Aria laughed slightly at his response. "Well hopefully the Slytherins and Gryffindors won't be seeing each other's rooms…so maybe they won't know…unless they are naughty and sneak out of their rooms late at night…like someone I know…" she said as she stared at him with a glint in her eye and her eyebrow slightly raised, as she teased him.

She then explained to him her methods on using the protective charms and regulated temperatures to protect the relic as it was on display. While he was listening to her, she also couldn't help but notice him slowly walking closer and closer to her the whole while, until he was finally right in front of her.

With the most seductive of drawls he spoke, "I think Miss De La Cour, that I must show you the dormitories, so you get more of a feel for Slytherin house."

"Hmmm," she said as she smirked back at him, understanding his meaning immediately. "I think that would be a wise idea as well Mr. Malfoy."

"Follow me then," he said as he turned on his heel and led her through an arched wooden door to the right of them.

As soon as she stepped through the door Lucius led her down a long hallway which forked off into other different smaller hallways. It was slightly like a large stone maze, but the walls were elegantly decorated with wall sconces blazing with green fire and portraits of what she assumed were other notable Slytherins.

"These are the Slytherin dormitories…" Lucius said as he led her down one of the longer hallways that forked off to the right. "However, the only door you really need to know is this one…" he said as he stopped at a door that was lit in an otherworldly glow by the blazing green flame of the fire from the wall sconce. He opened it and led her into a beautifully decorated room. It reminded her a lot of his magical tent that they had stayed in while in Scotland. A large four poster bed with deep green velvet drapes dominated most of the room while a few dark wooden wardrobes and bookshelves and tapestries lined the walls. A large dark fireplace warmed the room and Aria stared mesmerized into the green fire inside then looked back at Lucius.

His gaze was intense, and she could tell he wanted her desperately. She adored it and she gave him a look back as equally as passionate. She stepped close to him and put her small hands on his chest. His breathing was rapid, and she could tell he was about to rip her out of her clothes at any minute.

"You know, they really should have a portrait of you hanging in these halls. You are the greatest Slytherin of all time…to me anyways. You are so strong, powerful and brilliant," she said, knowing she was inflaming his ego to astronomical heights. She leaned in a kissed and bit his neck gently, breathing in his musky scent as she did so.

He closed his eyes in pleasure and a deep groan could be heard emanating from his chest as she kissed and nipped at him. "Flattery will get you everywhere my dear…" he said as he continued letting her love him.

She stepped back a bit after her ministrations to observe him. He really was such a strong and amazing form of a man and wizard. His iconic black cloak hung off his body and she just now noticed that it was lined and stitched with a brilliant emerald green. Underneath the cloak, his amazing, muscular form was concealed under a crisp white button up shirt and tight black pants. He was extremely elegant and impressive, and his clothed form was almost as impressive to her as his naked one.

"Now allow me to show you why Slytherin is the best of the houses…" he said as he briskly removed his wand from his snake-head cane. With a swish of it, her clothes immediately disappeared, causing her to jump a bit out of shock at her sudden exposure. She flushed slightly, which only managed to make Lucius smirk with delight.

After the initial shock of being exposed so suddenly, she made her way over to the big four poster bed and sprawled out on it, enticing him with her welcoming and ready body. "Please show me Mr. Malfoy," she said looking up at him with innocent green eyes. She knew she was driving him wild with her innocent sounding plea, and it only made her more and more aroused as she felt herself becoming wet and ready for him.

As Lucius stared at her body sprawled out on the bed, his ever-growing erection became almost painful as it strained against his tight pants, aching to be released. He removed his rich, black robes and let them fall to the floor. He then began slowly unbuttoning each button in his shirt; agonizingly slowly until his taught form was revealed. He then unzipped his pants and his cock was finally released from its restraints. He saw Aria's emerald green eyes, so emerald they matched the green of the room so perfectly, take in his throbbing cock and a tiny moan escaped her lips in anticipation. She was so beautiful and was acting so innocent, Lucius' mind was turning numb and he had to have her; to dominate her in the most delicious of ways.

He grabbed his wand again and flicked it as he used another wordless spell. Aria was always impressed whenever Lucius used magic without speaking, as it was a sign of a rather powerful and skilled wizard. However, as she went to reach out to him, to bring him down onto the bed to her, she realized she couldn't move her hands from above her head. Black silk ribbons were tied around the bedposts on one end and then tied around her wrists at the other. She gasped in a breath of shock and stared back at her lover and saw his eyes glint in the firelight and his eyebrow raised in haughty arrogance.

"Cunning and resourcefulness are qualities of a well-bred Slytherin my love," he said as he knelt down to the bed and leaned down over her. He gently and seductively kissed her forehead, her cheeks her lips and then finally down to her neck where he kissed and sucked it slowly. He then spoke into her neck in a whisper, his warm breath causing her skin to tingle all over. "But we can also be exceptionally loyal…let me show you how loyal I am to you…" he whispered as he began kissing his way down her tingling body.

His mouth made his way from one breast to the other as he kissed and sucked each tender nipple to hard points of pleasure. He slowly licked and kissed his way down her stomach feeling the rise and fall of her rapid breath beneath him and hearing her soft moans of pleasure as he lovingly teased her expectant body.

Finally, he came down to her hot and ready core and gently kissed all around her pelvis bones and upper thighs. Aria bucked her hips up by reflex as her body instinctually craved more from the God-like man who was giving her such pleasure.

"Please my love…" she begged him. She so desperately wanted to guide his head down onto her where she craved him the most, but her wrists were tightly bound. Lucius smirked as he saw her wrists straining to reach out, but he wouldn't deny her any longer.

He moved his head so that he was back at her sodden core and kissed her softly on her swollen clit. She moaned aloud in pleasure and he complied even more by beginning to lick and suck with much skill all the while rubbing his soft hands up and down her silken thighs as he reveled in her sweet juices. His tongue was so skilled and so adept at what it was doing, and it was driving her closer and closer to her release. The tip of his tongue was circling her clit so perfectly it felt as if the nub itself was on fire.

"Yes, yes…." she breathed heavily, "So good. I love you so much."

Lucius moaned back in pleasure at her words. He wanted her so badly, but he wanted to make her come even more and so his tongue sped up as it flicked up and down and around. Her hips bucked back and forth in rhythm with his tongue and her arms strained against her bindings, but the pain somehow seemed to bring her more pleasure. It didn't take much longer for her to orgasm intensely all over Lucius' soft lips. She screamed out his name several times and his brain fogged over with unbridled lust, and before she could even come down from her orgasm, he had plunged himself into her, his hard cock stretching her walls so amazingly. Lucius' mind went blank for a minute as he felt her tightness all around him. Her recent orgasm had made her even tighter and he found it almost hard to move within her. He leaned upwards and took both of her ankles and put them over his shoulders so that he could go even deeper inside of her. Both of them screamed out in bliss at the position and the angle in which he was now making love to her fiercely.

Aria wanted to reach her arms down and run her hands down along his muscular chest as he thrusted into her hard each time, but all she could do was let him take control as she couldn't move her arms and now that her ankles were up and on his shoulders, he really was the only one in charge. Aria reveled in his dominance. He truly was great in every sense of the word. A great wizard, a great lover…a great man. All hers. He reached his right hand down to her clit again and began rubbing her as he continued plowing into her. She screamed out in delight again and it took no amount of time at all before she was coming again. The feeling of her pulsating around him and getting so tight he could hardly move again caused his body to tense up and come with her. He grunted powerfully as his come spurted up into her as he thrusted several more times.

For a while they lay frozen in position, not wanting to break their bodily connection, but Lucius looked up and saw her wrists getting rather red and so he reluctantly slipped out of her, got his wand and waved it over the bindings, and she was finally released. He immediately got back into bed with her, took her wrists in his large hands and began rubbing them softly. He brought them up to his lips and kissed them, as if willing them to heal with his kisses.

Finally, Aria spoke, "I must say I do rather like Slytherin house…it might just be my favorite…although I may be biased," she laughed slightly. Although how could she not now have a special place in her heart for the Slytherin common room and dormitories.

"I am glad you were able to experience and witness some of our greatest assets and traits," he said with a honeyed voice. "I am sorry if your wrists hurt though," he said as he kissed them some more.

"I liked it, a lot," she smiled at him. "I told you before that I love every side to you…even the powerful and dominant side. It really does rather turn me on."

He raised his eyebrow in that haughty expression yet again but leaned in to kiss her tenderly.

"Lucius?" Aria asked meekly after a while of lying in blissful silence together.

"Yes?" he answered back huskily.

"You mentioned loyalty. Do you mean it?...I mean, I know we have been together for such a short amount of time…and it's been intense to say the least, but if there was anyone else you may have been seeing, I think I would understand. We never really talked about actually being an official couple. Maybe in America it is different…in America until you actually officially decide to be a couple, boyfriend and girlfriend, whatever you want to call it, nothing is really set in stone." She was rambling again, the type of rambling she did when she was nervous.

"Aria, do you question my loyalty? When I said it, I meant it with all of my heart. You are my soulmate and I think that goes beyond the realms of simple boyfriend and girlfriend. Since you have come into my life I haven't even noticed or acknowledged other woman…honestly the thought of even being with anyone else slightly nauseates me…" he said with a grimace.

Aria smiled in relief and laid her head on his chest in comfort. "I have felt the same too. I don't even notice men anymore…. I think today the Ravenclaw representative was flirting with me and I couldn't even comprehend it…" she slightly laughed.

Lucius didn't respond aloud but he grimaced even more and slightly tightened his grip on her. She smiled at his possessiveness.

"Aria, as long as I have you, there will never be anyone else," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

"I want you Lucius. I want you forever," she responded back.

Lucius' heart swelled as he heard what she had said. _Forever._ It was what he so desperately wanted to, and the realization that they wanted forever together was another sort of revelation to him. He had thought he would have had forever with his ex-wife, Narcissa, but back then when he thought of their forever it had always been muddled with hardships and incompatibility and humiliation. Now when Lucius thought of a forever with Aria, his soulmate, it was something entirely different.


	17. Chapter 17-Blood Lust

**I hope you guys are enjoying this. Sorry that there is spicy content in every chapter but I just can't help myself when it comes to these two. I would appreciate any reviews to let me know how I am doing. Just a warning this chapter contains some interesting romance scenes at the end...never thought I would be into it...but well here we are... :D Let me know what you think!**

* * *

The day of the Samhain Ball arrived, and Aria quickly packed her things up in her room in the teacher's quarters. Aria had absolutely loved her stay and her exploration of the legendary school and castle, but she was ready to go back to the Manor. Once packed up Aria stepped inside the fireplace in her room, grabbed some Floo Powder and right after she said 'Malfoy Manor' she was whisked away in a flurry of green flame and landed unsteadily in the grand fireplace of the ornate dining room. It felt so good to be back. The house was completely quiet and still and the silence was almost eerie feeling. Aria knew Lucius would be arriving soon after. He was settling a few things back at the school with some of the staff; as a Patron of the school, he had a lot more to do there than just Ministry work.

Aria left her bags by the fireplace. She would have to Floo back to her flat anyways at some point. For now, she was exhausted from her work trip and she just wanted to relax in the place she adored the most. She made her way to the brilliant library, that was such a special place for her and Lucius. The gilded harpsicord shined in the beaming light that pierced through the large windows and Aria reveled in its beauty. She laid down on one of the velvet couches across from the beautiful instrument and with a flick of her wand the harpsicord began to play Lucius' song he had written for her. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes in bliss as the beautiful and haunting melody flowed throughout the room and into her mind. Between the scent of the room, which greatly reminded her of Lucius, as it had the hint of his musky cologne, the sound of the beautiful song, and the comfort of being back at the Manor, Aria quickly fell into a peaceful sleep.

The music continued to play for her while she slept and almost an hour later, Lucius arrived back home to see his sleeping angel on the velvet sofa in the library and he smiled softly to himself at the sight and the sound. He felt touched that she had felt so at peace upon arrival and that she had fallen asleep to the sounds of his song he had composed for her. He wanted to come home to this sight every day for the rest of his life.

He gently lifted up her head, careful not to wake her, and slid onto the couch and let her head rest gently on his lap so that he could stroke her hair as she slept. He had never in his life been so gentle or caring and he sometimes still couldn't believe that this girl before him could bring out sides of him that he never even realized existed.

After a few minutes of stroking her hair, Lucius felt Aria stir and awaken. Her eyes fluttered open and her heart instantly started beating faster, a feeling she loved had never gone away upon seeing him each time.

The feeling of his hands on her hair and scalp made her moan in pleasure and her skin tingle. She had never felt a time where she was more relaxed and at peace.

"My Lucius," she said as her eyes closed again as she reveled in his touch, which was a touch of pure magic.

"My love," he said in greeting as he continued to stroke her hair. He smiled in satisfaction as each moan of pleasure escaped her lips. "I find it the most appealing sight to see you here so relaxed and at peace; and listening to your song no less. It was a sight of pure heaven to walk into."

"I feel so at peace here. I should have been getting ready for the Ball tonight, but I couldn't resist coming in here and relaxing," she smiled. Almost mimicking the touch he was giving her on her head she began running her hand up and down his muscular leg in which her head was resting on. Lucius was now moaning out his own sighs of pleasure at her reciprocating touch.

They stayed like that for some time, just touching each other and remaining in the presence of one another. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was beginning to set in the autumn sky. The Samhain Ball would begin in a few hours and both of them still had to get freshened up and get ready.

"If I don't get up soon, I think we will both miss the Ball. This feels too good to want to move though…" Aria said through a smile and a sigh.

"Mmm…sounds fine to me…" Lucius said as he continued rubbing her blond head. If it were up to him, he would rather stay home and ravish each other all night, but he knew tonight was a big night for Aria and he wouldn't deprive her of it.

Aria smiled but slowly got up into a seated position. She was finally able to reach her head in and kiss Lucius passionately for the first time all day. He tasted sweet and it made it even harder for her to get up from the comforts of the couch and his lap. Deepening the kiss, she moved so that she ended up straddling him as she sat in his lap facing him. Lucius groaned a noise of approval as his hands clasped tightly on her hips, drawing her even closer to kiss her back just as deeply. Aria subconsciously moved her hips causing her to rub against Lucius' hardening cock. He moaned deeply at the friction and held onto her hips even tighter as he ground up against her in return.

Aria smirked against his mouth as she continued to kiss him but then pulled back to stare at him longingly. She wanted him so badly, and she could feel his need, but time was ticking away and they really needed to start getting ready.

"We have to get ready my love," she said as she leaned her head back in to kiss him one last time before she began to try and get off of his lap.

His grip on her hips tightened and he held her down in place on his lap. She could feel his cock twitching beneath her in longing. The look in his eyes was pure need and he narrowed his eyes at her, the silver of them burning in the dimming light as the sun set. Aria was almost taken aback at his sudden intensity and she froze as she was entranced by his molten hot stare. Finally, after what seemed like an age, his grip on her lessened and he smirked widely at her with a sense of haughtiness and authority.

"Very well then…but later…you are mine…" he drawled seductively. It made her skin tingle in anticipation.

She got up from his lap and made her way upstairs into the beautiful Georgian room where she stored her gold 18th century dress Lucius had gotten for her. On the bed in the room she noticed a garment bag had been laid out in wait for her. The house elves must have received the package while she was still at Hogwarts and put it in here for her. She still wasn't used to being so catered to.

She opened the bag and smiled at the beautiful dress within. The dress was the epitome of a ball gown. A high-waisted full tulle skirt and a satin sweetheart shaped corset bodice. However, the entire gown was in the richest shade of black. It reminded her of Lucius' robes he was so well known for. The dress screamed Gothic Queen and Aria thought it was perfect for the Samhain Ball. In America at this time of the year she would be celebrating Halloween with the rest of her friends in California and she wanted to bring a bit of Halloween to the British Wizarding World. She secretly wanted to complete the outfit with a pair of vampire fangs, and she smiled to herself at the thought. Lucius would make a very dashing vampire himself, she thought, which made her laugh a bit out loud to herself.

Aria showered briefly and used a drying charm on herself to speed up the process. She arranged her hair into a bun but left a few hairs around her face down so that they framed her face in a romantic way. Her makeup reflected the feel of her Halloween spirit as she lined her eyes with thick black liquid liner that gave her a cat eye look and on her plush lips, she used the deepest blood-red color she had. She truly did look like a vampire of sorts, minus the fangs. As she slid her dress on, she muttered a quick incantation with her wand, which allowed magic to conveniently lace up her corset in the back. She appraised herself in the full-length mirror and smiled. The satin corset top highlighted her slim body well, while at the same time pushing her breasts up in a way she knew Lucius would go crazy over. Aria herself was going crazy over the fullness of the skirt of the dress and she twirled around a few times in excitement as she smiled widely to herself.

She made her way down the hall to Lucius' master-bedroom where he had been getting ready and entered. She noticed he was standing near one of the wardrobes of the room and had just pulled out a square velvet box. He held the box in his hand, but he had frozen at the sight of her. His eyes looked at her slowly, up and down and his mouth hung open in awe as he took in her surpassing beauty.

"Aria…" he said breathlessly as he made his way over to where she stood near the doorway, "you look stunning. You look like a Queen. The Queen of all Witches."

Aria blushed slightly as he complimented her and took her in. He looked exceptional himself. He was wearing all black dress robes, complete with a satin black bow tie. His platinum hair was pulled back low on his neck and tied with a black silk ribbon. Aria adored when he wore his hair back like that.

"You look so gorgeous Lucius," she said as she looked him up and down herself.

For a while they just stared at each other; both equally enthralled at the other. Finally, Lucius shook his head quickly as if snapping out of a dream-like state and looked down at the box he was holding, which he had forgotten all about after seeing her.

"I wanted you to wear this tonight," he said seriously. He opened the box gently and Aria stared in awe at what he was presenting to her. "This was my mother's and it was her favorite piece of jewelry to wear on occasions such as this. It is the necklace of a great Slytherin witch."

Aria took in the gorgeous emerald necklace. It was fit for royalty and the large square cut emeralds were surrounded by brilliant diamonds that glistened in the light. In the middle, a rectangle shaped emerald hung lower and larger than the rest, and Aria immediately didn't feel worthy.

"Lucius…I…I can't!" she said as she looked up into his eyes with self-doubt. "This was your mother's. Surely, I am not worthy…I am not even a Slytherin…not even pure blood. I can't!" she said as she looked quickly away from him in shame.

Lucius quickly put the box down on the wardrobe and then reached out to Aria and took her face in his hands, forcing her to look up and into his eyes.

"Don't ever say that…" he said with a furrow in his brow. "You are beyond worthy. You are the most amazing person I have ever known, and my mother would have wanted someone special to wear this. No other woman has worn this necklace besides her…and yes, she was an amazing Slytherin, but also an amazing woman…and to me you are even more amazing…and more worthy."

Aria looked at him with tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She still couldn't comprehend wearing such a special piece of jewelry.

"But I am not pure blood Lucius…I couldn't possibly wear something that represents purity like this."

Lucius let her face go and then reached back to the box and took the necklace out. He slowly walked around behind her and draped the necklace over her delicate neck. As the heavy necklace rested on her skin, she flinched almost as if she would be burned, but all she felt was the decadence of the jewels and Lucius' warm and comforting hands on her skin as he clasped the necklace in place. He walked her over to the mirror and put his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her and traced his fingers up and down her arms lovingly as they looked into the mirror.

"See, you didn't burst into flames," he said with a smirk as if he had read her mind. He then became more serious. "Aria, my love, if I have learned anything over these passed years during my fall from my _very high up pedestal_ …is that purity isn't everything…at least not to the extent I had held it. Knowing and loving you these last few months has proven that message to me further; that I can be with someone who isn't even pure blood and be the happiest I have ever been in my life. I had been living a lie my whole life up until recently and you are the being that continues to bring me into the light."

Aria looked at herself in the mirror as a tear fell down her cheek. Never before had she felt so loved and accepted. The emerald necklace hung at the perfect spot at her neck and after his declaration, wearing it suddenly felt right.

"I am honored to wear it," she said as she turned around and kissed him tenderly. "And I am honored to have you in my life. I love you so much Lucius."

"I love you," he whispered softly back. He loved seeing her wear the necklace. To see it grace a woman so gorgeous and amazing such as her almost made him shed a tear as well. He knew his mother would be happy and proud.

"Shall we then?" he said as he offered her his arm. "I can apparate us there if that is okay? It won't be as messy as Floo Powder."

Aria didn't really enjoy apparating, but she knew Lucius would get them there safely and as seamlessly as possible.

"As long as you are there to catch me before I fall."

"Always," he said back. And with a snapping sound he apparated them to the outside grounds of Hogwarts.

* * *

They landed safely and steadily although Aria's grasp was so tight on Lucius she felt bad as she noticed her nails were digging rather strongly into his shoulders. He didn't seem to mind though and the two of them took in the magical sight of Hogwarts Castle. Rows and rows of pumpkins lined the walkway leading up to the massive front doors and some of them were carved into jack-o-lantern style faces, to which Aria was delighted to see as it reminded her of American Halloweens.

Lucius, always being the most perfect gentleman, offered her his arm to take. Aria was hesitant at first, as their relationship was still a secret to most of the wizarding world, however seeing how confident he was made her equally as so, and she took his arm with a tender smile up at him. The two of them walked close together and made their way into the Entrance Hall which was also lined with glowing pumpkins and floating black candles. Many students and teachers were already crammed into the Entrance Hall and as Lucius and Aria made their way into the Great Hall where the Ball was to take place, even more witches and wizards were there; all of them dressed in their finest. The Great Hall was stunningly decorated with more candles, pumpkins and garlands of autumnal leaves of golds, reds and browns lined the walls.

Many of the professors and people from the Ministry looked at the two of them as they walked in. Aria had almost forgotten her hand was still clasped to Lucius arm and she was about to take it away, but she then felt Lucius' other hand stop her, as his warm touch settled on her trembling hand. She looked up at him and noticed him smiling down at her, as if letting her know _it's okay._

Something at the end of the room caught her eye, however. In the center of the room in the back, where the long teacher's dining table usually was, all four relics were on display in celebration of the Ball and of the work she had done over the past few weeks. Aria then forgot her coyness and grabbed Lucius' hand as she practically dragged him to the back of the room to get a closer look.

"Lucius look!" she said as she led him through the crowd to where each relic was on display.

Each one rested on a marble column. Aria could tell that her enchantments were in place, the ones that would make it so that no one could touch the artifacts, in order to protect them. She put her hands up to hover over them and noticed that there was a cooling sensation as well. Her suggested cooling system was also being used to preserve the items. This made her so happy. The school had loved her suggestions and her plan, and to see it in fruition was so rewarding. She knew after tonight, each object would then go off to their rightful home in each house, where they would be able to be studied and admired for generations to come.

He smiled down at her, loving her enthusiasm and pride at her accomplishment. He was proud of her as well. She had been truly making a difference in his British Wizarding World and he knew she truly belonged here. "Well done, Aria," he said.

Right as he said that Hermione and a large group of fellow Ministry wizards and witches and Hogwarts professors came up to where Aria and Lucius stood.

"Aria this is amazing, seeing all of the artifacts together; and to think soon they will be in their rightful spots. Amazing work," said Hermione genuinely.

Aria smiled back in thanks and suddenly the other Ministry witches and wizards began asking her questions and chatting with her about her experience on the project. She felt rather overwhelmed at it all, but easily answered everyone's questions and chatted politely with all of them. She noticed at one-point Lucius had slipped away and her heart sank a bit. She had wanted to spend the majority of the Ball with him, but she also didn't want to seem rude and excuse herself. These witches and wizards were important after all and she was honored they were pleased with her work and wanted to know more about her experience.

After chatting with her colleagues for what seemed like hours, Aria was getting restless and wanted to explore more of the Ball and find Lucius again. Music had already begun playing and many of the students were already dancing, as well as some of the adult witches and wizards. She politely excused herself and managed to make her way to the refreshments table where she grabbed a glass of delicious spiced pumpkin juice. The juice was splendid and the only thing at that moment that could have made her happier was the sight of her lover. Her eyes scanned the room and she saw him over at a far corner in conversation with one of their colleagues from the Ministry. She was about to make her way over to join him when all of a sudden, she heard a quiet yet polite voice behind her.

"Hello Aria. Are you having a nice evening?"

Aria turned around to see James, the Ministry official who showed her around Ravenclaw, smiling kindly over at her.

"Oh, hello James!" she said sweetly. "Yes, I am. It's so amazing in here and so festive, I absolutely love it! How is your night?"

"It is well, thank you," he said, as she noticed his eyes scanning over her. "I must say you look divine tonight. You stand out from the rest," he said with a slight flush to his cheek. His compliment made Aria blush as well and although she knew he had well intentions, she desperately wished Lucius would come and sweep her away so it could just be the two of them again.

"Oh…thank you James. That is very kind of you," she said as she took another shy sip of her pumpkin juice.

They stayed awkwardly quiet for a few moments and then Aria's stomach turned over at his next question.

"Would you care to dance with me?" he asked her with an air of uncertainty. He was nervous, she could tell, and she didn't quite know how to respond. She didn't want to be rude however and since Lucius was busy in conversation, perhaps one dance wouldn't hurt. It may even help dissipate any rumors that were floating around about her and Lucius.

"Oh…um…okay…" Aria said as she put down her glass and grabbed his hand as he led her to the middle of the dance floor. Aria couldn't help but feel a sense of regret and betrayal for her Lucius and she instantly wished she had said no. She just could never bring herself to be rude to someone who was genuinely nice like James. One dance couldn't hurt.

As they began dancing in time to the music, Aria couldn't help but notice James' awkwardness. He certainly wasn't as graceful or as skilled in dancing as Lucius, although Aria realized that it was hard to be better than Lucius at anything. As they danced, they both smiled awkwardly at each other here and there but otherwise remained silent as they danced to the music. James eventually spoke.

"That is quite the beautiful necklace," he said as he admired the glittering emeralds and diamonds around her neck. "Is it a family heirloom?"

"You could say that," Aria said as she smiled and felt the comforting weight of it around her neck. "It is a very special piece of jewelry."

" _Indeed it is…_ " said an soft yet deep voice next to them.

Aria and James instantly stopped dancing and turned to their left to see none other than the dashing Lucius Malfoy. Aria's breath stopped and she instantly flushed as she felt the shame of dancing with someone else creep into her heart and mind. She hoped Lucius would understand she didn't mean anything by the awkward situation.

"May I?" Lucius said to James as he indicated he wanted to dance with Aria, his polite iciness causing goosebumps to rise on Aria's skin. James looked disappointed and it was clearly written all over his face that he didn't want to part with Aria yet, however the piercing grey eyes of Lucius bore into him and terrified him right into his very core.

"Y-yes, of course," he said as he let go of Aria's hand, bowed slightly to her and walked away.

Lucius grabbed a hold of Aria's waist with such a fierce intensity his grip was like a vice as he held her against his body. His piercing grey eyes stared into her green ones as if ripping into her very soul. She saw his possessiveness and passion sparking in his grey orbs and it took what little remaining breath she had away.

"I am sorry my love, I didn't know how to say no…he's so nice, I couldn't bear to be rude," she said pleading with him not to be upset.

He spoke so quietly and huskily it was almost a whisper. "You are the most stunning creature in this room, if not the face of the Earth, and I can't blame the man for wanting you. But he has to know his place…you are _mine_. And mine alone."

"Yes. Only yours," Aria said as she looked up into his still sparking grey eyes with the upmost devotion.

She felt a moan of approval from Lucius at her words as he danced them around the room with the perfect grace and skill. They couldn't break their gaze from each other, despite the fact that many people around the room had begun to notice their intense embrace and locked eyes. The two of them were the most mysterious and stunning pair in the room, both of them in rich black clothes, both of their bright shining blond hair glistening in the candlelight. The aura of other worldly power that they emanated was felt by all in the room. Their connection was unmistakable, and Aria and Lucius felt a tingling sensation as they danced to the music. As the song they had been dancing to ended, they stopped as well and finally their gazes broke from the other's and they noticed many people staring. Aria then noticed that Lucius' hair and skin was faintly glowing, like that one night that they made love under the stars at the Standing Stones in Scotland. Her mouth hung open in slight shock and Lucius looked at her with the same amount of wonder as she realized he must have seen her slightly glowing too.

"Come," he said under his breath as he strode quickly out of the Great Hall. All eyes watched him as he left the room and then those eyes fell on her. She flushed a dark shade of red, smiled sweetly and awkwardly as if to try and diffuse the situation and then quickly made her way out of the Great Hall as well.

Aria saw Lucius a bit of a ways in front of her but continued to follow him down a few empty hallways and into an empty smaller classroom. He instantly shut the door behind them and locked it with a charm. Aria was still flushed from the dancing and then being stared at.

"Lucius did you see the glow? You were glowing like that one night at the stone circle when we used the Lumos Interius spell! You still are!"

"So are you," He said as he stared at her.

"What do you think is happening? Is this bad?" she asked.

"No, not at all my love. If anything, it is showing our bond is getting stronger. Something I didn't even think was quite possible. It's also Samhain night. That is a special night for any magical being. The night when magic and our powers become stronger."

"I didn't think our connection would physically show itself. Everyone in that room probably knows about us now," said Aria looking over at her lover in anticipation of his reaction.

"Probably," he said with an amused smirk as he looked off into the distance at the idea.

Aria smiled in relief at his content aloofness.

"I love you so much and I am so proud of that. We have the strongest connection that any man or woman has ever had, I don't think I can hide my love for you much longer. Clearly," she said as she motioned her hands up and down her glowing body.

Lucius smiled fully and walked over to where she stood and embraced her as he leaned in and planted the most perfect kiss on her waiting lips. She stared up at him, so tall, mysterious and elegant. Again, she thought he would make the perfect vampire, especially on a night such as tonight on All Hollow's Eve; Samhain.

"You are beautiful," she said causing him to look down in humbleness; a rare expression for his face. "You know all night I can't help but think that you look like a romantic vampire from a movie or romance novel," she laughed as she laced her arms around his neck and stared at him longingly.

"Vampire…" he said in surprise as he lifted his eyebrow and stared down at her.

"Yes, a very beautiful and seductive vampire," she laughed slightly.

"You mean like this?" he asked as he leaned his head down to her exposed neck and kissed softly at first with his soft lips. Her skin tingled and gooseflesh rose. She adored when he kissed her there and it felt so incredibly good.

"Mhm," she moaned as she closed her eyes and leaned into his kiss.

"And like this?" he said haughtily as he began sucking strongly on her neck, surely causing a large hickey to form. It felt delicious and Aria could feel herself beginning to grow slick and wet between her legs.

"Yes, my love yes…exactly like that…" she said through rapid breaths.

"And _this_?" he asked huskily one last time before leaning back into her neck.

Aria' eyes opened wide in shock at what she felt next. Her breath and body froze at the sensation as it was unlike anything she had ever felt. Lucius had kissed her at first but then all of a sudden, he had bit down hard. He had surely punctured the skin as she felt the warmth of her blood seep out of her neck. His tongue lapped over the wound and although she felt the sting of the bite his soft, warm tongue brought her pleasure she had never even knew existed; pleasure which shot straight down to her sodden core. She began moaning loudly as he continued to suck her neck and drink her in. He groaned and moaned in pleasure as he sucked upon her neck and Aria's head swam as she realized what he was doing was literally a vampiric act. Her fantasy had just become a reality.

Finally, he pulled away and she noticed his pupils were wide and took up most of his eyes, the silver grey of them barely visible. He seemed to be in utter shock and wonder as if he had just seen the greatest mystery of the world.

"Aria…you taste…amazing…" he said as he looked at her with wonder. His eyes flicked back to her neck almost as if he wanted to drink more from her. "Like pure sunshine...it makes me feel like nothing I have ever felt before."

Aria couldn't help but stare at him back as she took in his face. His eyes were almost alarming to look at, the pupils were so big, it was as if he was on some sort of drug. Her blood was on his lips and his chin and she felt as if it were a dream, but it wasn't, as she realized her blood itself was also glowing, just like her skin and hair. It was red but definitely shining gold, as if alive with magic.

Aria didn't know what came upon her at that moment, but she reached up quickly to undo his bowtie and undo the buttons of his dress robe to reveal the alabaster skin of his neck and chest. Without warning she leaned in and began kissing his neck, gently at first as he had done to her, but then she bit him as suddenly as he had done to her. He hissed in a breath of shock but then began moaning in pleasure as her tongue lapped at his neck, drinking him in too. After a minute she leaned back and looked at Lucius, her pupils had gone large and dark as well, almost taking over the green of her eyes.

"Lucius…you taste amazing too, like vanilla and ice and stars…what is happening?" she said as her head swam. She knew she wasn't making sense and her mouth dripped with his red blood which glowed a silver sheen, like a mix of human and unicorn blood.

"I don't know, I've never experienced this before," he said, his eyes growing even wider. He quickly took out his wand and waved it at her dress which instantly caused the corset to untie and her dress to fall in a pool around her feet. She quickly slipped out of her black lace panties but left her black stilettos on. She stood there naked in nothing but her high heels and the gorgeous emerald necklace Lucius had given her to wear. Then, she in return, unbuttoned the rest of his dress robes and slid them off of his upper body. She then knelt down to unbutton his trousers and pulled them off of him in a flurry, revealing his throbbing, erect cock.

As they both stood naked and ready, blood dripping from both of their necks, Lucius picked her up into his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her over to the desk at the end of the room and laid her upon it. He stared at her intensely, his eyes still completely dilated as he reached his head back down to the wound at her neck and bit again. At the same time, he plunged his iron-hard cock into her. The sensation of him inside of her and the bite caused her to scream out in pleasure and pain. He moaned into her neck as he drank her in. Lucius didn't even know what was happening to him, he had never experienced anything like this sexually before and his mind grew dizzy at the carnality of it all. As he thrust into her over and over again and tasted her sweet essence, he threw his head back in orgasmic bliss.

Aria looked up at her soul mate. His skin glowed so brightly it was almost blinding, and she couldn't stop staring at the blood around his lips that dripped down his chin. She couldn't believe this wasn't a dream. She reached her hands back up to his head and brought it back down to face her, his eyes almost black.

"My turn," she said as she brought his neck closer in and bit him again. The instant taste of his blood spilt into her mouth and she moaned in pleasure at the taste of him. She didn't know what was happening, but her body felt as if it was on another plane of existence as he continued to fuck her, and she continued to taste him. He groaned a sound, almost animalistic, as he slid in and out of her. Both of their eyes were wild with the high of each other's essence and they were both getting close to their release. Without saying anything both of them leaned into the others necks as they held onto each other tight. They both continued sucking and tasting and biting as their bodies glowed brighter and brighter. Soon they both could barely see against the glow of their bodies and the high they were on from the other's blood. Lucius thrust into Aria harder and harder, causing her bum to slide against the desk until she almost fell off. With one final thrust they both came together as they released their mouths from the others' necks and they screamed out into the room. It was unlike any sounds either of them had ever heard.

They lay on the desk together for many moments of pure bliss and their glow from their bodies finally faded as their love and passion was released out into the mystical Samhain night. Finally, Lucius pulled away and went to the pile of clothes they had discarded on the other side of the room and grabbed his wand. He went back over to Aria and took in the bites on her neck. He kissed and tasted her one last time before he uttered a healing charm over her, and her wounds instantly closed. He pointed his wand at his neck and healed himself as best as he could.

"Lucius…" she said through heavy breaths, her eyes still wide and dark. "What just happened? I feel like I am in a dream," she said as she sighed and closed her eyes in bliss.

"I am still working through that myself. Your taste…it has to be a part of our connection. I never would have done that…ever…in my life. But it felt so right. So perfect," he said as he looked her over. The blood that dripped from her mouth and onto her chin was so incredibly erotic and carnal, that Lucius couldn't stop staring.

Aria lifted her head and took in her lover as he sat there naked with blood all over his mouth and lips. She felt lightheaded and she wasn't sure if it was the loss of blood, or the intake of his blood or the magic of the night, or a combination of all three.

Lucius stroked her cheek with his hand and raised his wand back up to her face and muttered a cleansing charm causing the blood to disappear. As before, he did the same charm to himself. He looked reluctantly over at their pile of dress clothes. He knew they should probably go back to the Ball but after what just happened he really didn't feel like mingling or dancing or much of anything else besides being with Aria and reveling in what just happened. Aria saw his reluctance and whole heartedly knew and agreed with what he was thinking.

"Back to the Ball?" he said reluctantly.

"No," she said firmly. "Home."

"Home." He repeated back with a smile.


	18. Chapter 18- Betrayal

**Please let me know how you are liking this! More chapters over on Fanfiction.net!  
**

* * *

Lucius and Aria put their clothes hastily back on and exited the classroom, holding hands, almost holding on to each other to confirm to themselves that they were back in reality. The hallways were empty as mostly everyone was still in the Great Hall celebrating. Although neither of them was nearly as brightly glowing as they had been during their dancing and during their physically spiritual love making, their hair still faintly glowed and shimmered in the candlelight. Their eyes were still dilated as the essences of their love still flowed throughout their bodies.

As Lucius led Aria down the empty hallways towards the main entrance so they could apparate once they were outside on the main grounds, his mind couldn't stop racing. Never in his life had he had any of this type of ancient and carnal power and emotion. He had done many things in his life, and he had always been into experimenting and trying new things during sex, but never anything like this. It thrilled him and made his mind race. It must have something to do with their connection and the prophecy of their love. Why had the taste of her blood not disgusted him? It was in fact, quite the opposite, as it had lured him in to want more and more. Her taste was inhuman…if anything it wasn't even a taste at all, it was simply a feeling deep in his bones and soul.

The glowing of their hair and skin without the use of the Lumos Interius spell was also interesting and alarming to him too. It was as if their love was now manifesting outwardly all on its own and was growing more and more powerful. Lucius suspected it might have to do with the importance of the date in terms of what it meant for witches and wizards; Samhain was a significant date for magical folk, just like any of the other Pagan days in the year.

Lucius thought back to their conversation about investigating in the Department of Mysteries back at the Ministry. Although it would be difficult to gain access, he knew they had to go there. Their connection and bond was something that was anciently powerful and magical and its truth must be discovered. He thought his whole life had been leading up to the moment he would take his rightful spot by the Dark Lord's side many years ago, but now he realized this was what his life's purpose was. The woman next to him.

Lucius had been thinking the whole time he led them out of the castle and he just barely realized that they were outside. Some of the attendees of the Ball were outside as well enjoying the night air and the decorations scattered around the grounds. A few of them were staring intently at Aria and Lucius, as their hair dully shined in the moonlight and their eyes were dark orbs of intensity; they must have been a sight to behold. Lucius was too high on the magic of the night's moments to care if it caused gossip and he turned back towards Aria and looked down into her eyes. She was staring up at him with her dilated eyes, full of wonder, and he knew she was still on another plane of existence in her heart and mind. Grabbing her tightly around the waist, not caring if others saw, he apparated them back to Malfoy Manor.

As they arrived in the grand foyer of the Manor Lucius leaned in to kiss Aria, who happily accepted his kiss as she reached up and folded her fingers around his neck and brought him closer into her.

As they pulled away Aria finally spoke. She hadn't said anything since they had been in the classroom back at Hogwarts after their intense coupling.

"I think I may need to lay down, my body is still tingling and buzzing all over. I feel strange but in a good way…I want to just lay down and close my eyes and embrace the feeling…" she said huskily as she looked up at him with wide eyes which burned with the magical life force of their connection.

"Then I shall join you," he said with a contented smile.

All of a sudden though, Lucius cocked his head as he heard a noise coming from down the hallway in the direction of the drawing room. Lucius rarely used that room anymore, as it only reminded him of his dark past, but he definitely heard noises coming from that direction.

Aria's eyes grew wider as she followed the direction of his gaze with her head. She had definitely heard a noise too…voices actually.

"Did you hear that too?" he said as he looked back at her. She nodded her head silently.

In one swift motion Lucius took out his wand from the head of his cane and pointed it ahead of him as he grabbed Aria's hand with his free hand and led her down the hallway towards the voices coming from the drawing room. Lucius really wished his eyes would go back to normal instead of their current dilated state, as he still felt buzzed and giddy from the high he was on from earlier. He needed to be sober now, if he needed to defend them, he had to be ready.

Aria clutched onto Lucius' hand so tightly her nails were digging into his flesh, but neither of them noticed as they approached the door. It was a woman's voice and a man's voice, talking in whispers. Through the crack in the door, there was a faint glowing and flickering as the intruders had clearly lit candles around the room.

Lucius' mind raced as his sole focus was protecting Aria at the moment, but deep in the corner of his mind he knew who the intruder was. No one else could get into the Manor, as it was greatly protected by charms and defensive spells. It could be only one person. As he kicked open the door with a bang, his suspicions were confirmed.

"Draco…" he practically growled as he looked at his son sitting down in one of the chairs at the large wooden table. His head then turned slightly to the left to stare with a piercing gaze at the woman standing next to Draco. _"Narcissa…."_ He practically hissed out. "Why are you in my home…at this hour? Get out!"

Draco looked at his father with a smug and disgusted sneer and then his cold gaze fell upon Aria. Aria was still clutching to Lucius' hand, but her wide eyes were still wild with the high from the night and the power and magic that she felt radiating through her.

Draco turned his head up towards his mother, who was looking at Aria with a smug look that equally matched her sons. "See what I told you Mother, of course _she_ is with him. They are always together now…it's pathetic…and a disgrace to our family home."

Aria, who was by now used to Draco's verbal abuse of her, could only stare at the icy blond woman standing proud and arrogant next to her son. Her hair was probably once a more vibrant blond but now appeared to be a dull yellow. She had a pinched quality to her face, that almost reminded her of a bird or rat with piercing ice blue eyes. Perhaps she had once been beautiful, but the years and her apparent internal hatred had not been kind to her once attractive features.

Aria couldn't help but feel an instant surge in her power and her connection with Lucius in that moment, almost as if her body was primed to jump out and protect him from any physical or even verbal assault that was thrown their way.

" _Your home_? This isn't your home. This is my home. You two gave up your claims on this place the moment you decided your pride was more important than our family. You haven't treated me as family for years. The only family I have now and will ever need is Aria!" Lucius screamed at them.

Draco got up from his chair, but his mother stopped him as she put a hand on his shoulder to sit him back down. She slowly made her way over to Aria and Lucius, her hips swaying, almost as if she was trying to seduce Lucius back over to her side, but Aria knew she would only spew venom at them.

"What do you want?" Aria boldly said. Usually she would have never uttered a word, as this was completely and clearly Malfoy business, but she couldn't help the buzzing power that was flowing through her. Her hair still glowed and the protective feeling she had for Lucius was growing stronger and stronger with each passing second.

Narcissa was now practically right in front of them. Her eyes flicked to Lucius, back to Aria, her eyes raking down Aria taking in her faintly glowing hair, her dilated and wild eyes, down to the stunning emerald necklace which was still around Aria's neck.

"So, you are the trollop Draco was telling me about…who are you then? A young girl desperate for an older man's money…? What gives you the right to wear such a necklace?" Narcissa spat. "What spell have you put on Lucius? You have clearly cursed him, look at both of your eyes, your hair… you two aren't in your right mind! What have you done?" Narcissa screamed as she reached out her hands as if to grab Aria by the neck and rip the necklace violently from her or possibly even throttle her.

Lucius instantly raised his wand, pointing it directly at Narcissa's chest, challenging her to go any further.

"Don't you dare speak to her!" he spat back. "She wears the necklace you were never worthy enough to wear. My mother's necklace, a necklace of purity and of my undying love."

Narcissa's features flinched at Lucius' denouncement. She was clearly hurt at the thought that he had never thought her worthy of wearing such a necklace or earning his love like the young girl at his side clearly had.

"Purity?!" shouted Draco from where he sat at the table still. "That half-breed is anything but pure!"

Narcissa flicked her eyes back to Aria with malintent. "Half-breed?! Now I definitely know you put a curse on my husband, he would never be with something as vile as you!" Narcissa made an advance towards Aria as if to try and strike her again.

"You dare come any closer Narcissa and I swear I will do you harm!" Lucius said with such a fierce intensity that it actually greatly aroused Aria as she took in his protectiveness. His hair was glowing a bit more brightly the more and more he got angry.

"I am not your husband!" Lucius shouted. "Our marriage was never about love, never about connection. You can't even begin to dream or wish to know what I have with Aria." He brought Aria in closer to his body by taking his hand that was still clutching to hers and putting it around her waist instead. His other hand still raised and pointing his wand at the angry witch.

Aria responded in her own way by glaring proudly at Narcissa and then to Draco and deliberately putting her arms around Lucius' torso, as if to mirror his protectiveness and dedication.

Aria spoke again, just as boldly as before. "Why are you here. What do you want?"

Narcissa raised her mouth in a smirk in the most horrendous of ways, as if she was about to reveal her plan for world domination. She seemed to revel in whatever news she had to share, and Aria felt a bundle of anxiety begin to form in the pit of her stomach.

"Well you see _little witch,_ Draco had informed me about the goings on from your last meeting here in the Manor. It seems you and my Lucius were involved in an incident with a wizard who was in your Ambassador Program. Isn't that correct?" her voice was like ice and honey and it made Aria's skin tingle with rage.

Aria's face flushed red with anger. "That is none of your concern…" Aria replied with malice. "Or yours," she said as she then looked over to a smirking Draco.

"Well you see, it rather is my concern. Actually, it's the concern of the whole Wizarding community here. We can't have someone running around putting memory charms on innocent wizards left and right," she said as her eyes flicked once more over to Lucius.

Lucius was breathing heavy, a mixture of rage and betrayal.

"That man was not _innocent_ …" Lucius said almost in a whisper. His voice was so cold and enraged.

He took his eyes off of Narcissa and looked over to his son sitting at the table. A look of betrayal clearly written on his face.

"So, this is what it has come to is it Draco?" Lucius said flatly. "Revenge? Revenge for the man I was in the past and what I allowed you to go through? You would rather see me rot in Azkaban, than let me live my life happy and in love and refuse to see how I have grown as a person?"

Draco looked at his father briefly, a look of regret and tenderness in his eyes, but then his eyes grew cold once more and he looked down at the large wooden table, refusing to respond back to his father.

"You ruined this family Lucius," Narcissa said, cutting through the air with her bitterness. "Now we have a chance to put you in Azkaban where you belong, where you should have been this whole time…"

Aria still clung to Lucius, but somehow managed to hold him tighter. A single, hot tear fell down her face as she took in how much of a betrayal this was for Lucius. Never could she imagine a family turning upon itself as she was now witnessing.

"You are acting as if what happened to our family was my fault and my fault alone…" said Lucius, his voice husky with emotion. "You played an equal part Narcissa. We could have done so much better for our son, but _both of us_ were too corrupted by the power of The Dark Lord. I've tried to change and be a better man…what have you done? You are just as hateful and corrupt as ever."

Narcissa glared her eyes at Lucius and raised her chin as if in defiance. "We came here to warn you to prepare yourself Lucius. By the time Monday morning comes, I am sure the Ministry will have all of the evidence they need, and you will be taken away from your so-called happy life. We came here so you could prepare yourself."

Lucius smirked and sarcastically laughed out loud into the room at the ridiculousness of it all. "You came here to help me prepare myself? _No no no my dear_ …. you came here to put your betrayal of me out on display. You want me to know that it was you two that did this to me," he said as he looked over at his ex-wife and his son. Draco's eyes glanced back down to the wooden table in shame. "You came here to specifically ruin my life. You saw and heard how happy I finally was, and you aim to ruin that…" Lucius said as he then looked down at Aria, his heart breaking into a million pieces knowing that he would soon be taken away from her. She saw his eyes begin to water with tears of anger, tears of heart break and tears of loss. He had finally had the taste of the life he had always wanted and now it was going to all disappear.

More angry tears fell down her face at seeing her soul mate in so much pain. Her gaze turned on Narcissa and she felt so much hate towards this woman, and towards her horrible son seated at the table, she wanted nothing more than for them to leave immediately. She wanted what little time she had left with Lucius to be just them alone together. She needed to be with him and only him.

"Get out…" Aria said darkly, her voice going so low-pitched, she had never heard herself sound like that before.

"How dare you tell me to get out, _bitch_ …" Narcissa spat at Aria. She then moved so fast Lucius didn't even have time to raise his wand back up again before he saw her grab Aria's arm hard, as if meaning to rip her off of Lucius, who she was still holding tightly around the waist. All of a sudden, Narcissa let out a wail of pain and clutched her hand to her chest which had just grabbed Aria.

"Her skin! Her skin burned me!" she shrieked as she looked at her hand which was now bubbling with blisters from the burn. "Bitch!"

Aria looked down at her arm where Narcissa had just grabbed her and saw that her skin was now glowing brightly as it had done before when she made love to Lucius. She breathed hard and fast, half confused from what just happened, half-filled to the brim with power. She felt a power and a loyalty so strong it was stunning her, and she looked up at Lucius who was staring at her in wonder and adoration.

Draco had rushed over to his mother and was uttering soothing words to her as he held his mother around her shoulders to support her.

"What are you?! What kind of creature are you?" Narcissa screamed into the room. "You'll pay for this. Just you wait and see. Monday morning, your grip and power over Lucius will be over. You'll be parted forever. You will never see him or control him again!"

Aria let go of Lucius and strode over to where Draco supported the woman. Her hair and skin were bright, and her eyes were practically black with rage. Narcissa flinched with fear and tightened her grip on her son. With a sudden pop, they apparated away leaving Aria and Lucius alone in the room at last.

Aria immediately fell to the floor and started sobbing. All of the emotion she had been holding in flooded out of her at once. She felt Lucius immediately there at her side and he quickly wrapped his strong arms around her and held her. He buried his face into her neck and cried silent tears of his own at the realization that he only had 24 hours left of freedom with his love.

He knew that the Ministry for years had been looking for any reason to put him in Azkaban. He had been one of the few Death Eaters who had escaped the fate of Azkaban, whether it was his monetary influence, or some had seen him as truly a changed man; he had been lucky. Now with his fate in the hands of his vengeful ex-wife and son, his happiness would be destroyed. A happiness he never thought he would have until he met Aria, the love of his life, his soulmate.

The clock struck midnight and chimed through the grand home. As they both cried and held each other on the floor of the drawing room, their dilated pupils finally returned to normal, the green and grey of their eyes appeared again, wet with tears. The glowing that had so intensified on their skin and hair every time their emotions became intense finally disappeared altogether, not even a faint glow was left.

"Lucius…I can't live without you…I can't!" she cried into his chest as he held her. "Please don't go. Don't leave me."

"I won't have a choice my love. I will pay for my actions; the Ministry will make sure of that…" he said as a tear ran down his cheek as he felt his heart breaking again and again.

"But you did it to defend me! Surely if I tell them that, they will change their minds."

"No, you mustn't get involved. Promise me Aria. I don't want you to have to relive what happened to you in front of the whole Ministry. Will you promise me?" he said intensely as he looked into her now wide green eyes.

She didn't say anything back but grabbed the sides of his face with her hands and kissed him. She immediately opened his mouth with her tongue and reveled in his taste and his essence, as if it was the last time she would ever taste him; because soon it would be.

As she pulled away from the kiss, she felt Lucius look down at his hands as he removed his ring he always wore on his middle finger. It was in the shape of a snake that wrapped around itself and had one brilliant green emerald for an eye and engraved on the inside was the initials, LM.

"Here," he said, as he took her hand and put the ring on her index finger. "I wish I could offer you so much more, but this ring is a promise…a promise that I will always love you, until my dying day. Wear it and know that. Promise me you will make it into the Department of Mysteries and find out about us, about our love and the power it holds."

Aria nodded her head and sobbed as he raised her finger up to his lips and kissed her where the ring was, as if blessing her.

They stayed there crying and kissing until the early break of dawn began to show. Both of them were so drained and exhausted and as they finally made their way up to Lucius' bedroom, both of them left their fine dress and robes in a pile on the floor, not even caring to put them away. The one thing Aria removed that she made sure to place back safely was his mother's necklace she still wore. The two exhausted and naked soul mates fell into bed, entwined their limbs and bodies and held on tight before a dark sleep overtook them both, knowing they only had 24 hours left before the end.


	19. Chapter 19- Goodbyes

**Please leave me a review! Thank you! Check out my Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/VersaillesPixie/boards/**

* * *

They both woke up sometime in the mid-afternoon, their limbs still entwined and their hands clasping tight to the others. When Aria opened her tired eyes slowly, she saw two grey orbs staring back at her. Lucius' face was so close to hers and he had dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept at all.

Truth be told he really hadn't slept much and for the past hour or so he had just been awake thinking about nothing but Aria as he studied her gorgeous face as she slept. He couldn't fathom closing his eyes and missing any moment he had left with her. His heart broke all over again when her green eyes finally awakened and instantly began watering again as silent tears fell down her streaked face.

"Don't cry my love," he huskily whispered as he reached his hand across to her face and wiped away her falling tears. He swallowed hard, trying desperately himself not to cry as well.

"How can I not? I can't live without you and they are going to take you away from me…" she wept as more tears fell down from her bright eyes. "It isn't fair Lucius. We have had so little time together. I need more time."

"I know my love," he said, as his eyes closed tightly shut against the agony of her statement.

"What will they do? Where will you go?" she said as more tears and sobs began making her breathing fast and shallow.

"They will come for me. Here…" he said darkly. "Once Narcissa and Draco hand over their testimony of what happened, they will come here to arrest me…I will be sent off to the Ministry prison first for holding, while I await trial…and then after that…" he stopped cold as his brain went numb from what he knew would happen to him after the trial. "Azkaban."

"Azkaban," Aria repeated the horrible word. She knew that place, as it was quite an infamous prison of the Wizarding World. Her body shuddered in agony for her soul mate. He didn't deserve any of this; everything he had done was to protect and avenge her. She felt a huge amount of guilt. "It's all my fault Lucius," she sobbed.

"No! Never think that! The only thing you need to know is that I will be going away to Azkaban with my head held high and that after all of this time, I finally learned how to love. And you taught me that."

He wiped her eyes again and then drew her in close to his body so that she was completely encased in his strong, loving arms. Her face was buried in his muscular chest and all she could do was breath in his scent and cry tears onto his skin, which almost burned him as he could practically feel the raw emotion and distress as it poured out of her. The power that they had felt and possessed from the night before during their love making and during the fight with Draco and Narcissa, was now gone, and now all the two of them could feel was depressive sadness.

As Lucius held her tight, Aria reached her head up to his level and pressed her lips against his urgently and hungrily. A wave of need had washed over her as he held her in his arms, and she needed to be one with him. She needed to feel him inside of her, before it was too late. Lucius was slightly taken aback by her hard and urgent kissing, as her lips pressed into his own and her tongue sought immediate entrance to his mouth. But as they kissed and as Aria clung to his body more tightly, the need he always had for her inside of him grew more and more strong and he realized he needed to be inside of her just as badly as she needed him in that moment.

Lucius reached one of his hands down and put it on the base of her back and pressed firmly against it, drawing her in even closer to his body. In response she wrapped her leg around his hip as she ground her own hips against his growing member. She continued rubbing urgently against him and he breathed out sighs of growing pleasure at the feeling of her need. Lucius desperately needed her too, and so he moved his hand from the base of her back to her hip and held her still so that her hips ceased moving against his now rock-hard cock. In one solid motion he plunged into her soft, wet depths. Aria's eyes opened wide and she inhaled a breath of emotion at his fast and sudden entrance into her hungry body. Tears streamed down her face as her mind struggled to focus between the pleasure she felt and the pain in her heart.

Lucius felt in heaven as he stayed still inside of her, allowing her to adjust to him. He then slowly pulled out until only the tip of his cock remained inside of her, and again, plunged back in up to the base of his cock, feeling every inch of her warm wetness around him as he grabbed her leg that was wrapped around his waist for leverage. As he began slowly moving in her rhythmically, he saw her eyes come back down to look into his own and he noticed her tears were falling still and yet her brow was furrowed with immense pleasure. He leaned his head in towards her face and kissed the tears off of her face, tasting her essence and trying to take away her pain. He leaned back and looked into her eyes as he continued making passionate love to her; although he still thrusted slowly, each thrust was strong and powerful as he filled her up to the hilt. As he thrust into her, he spoke to her, almost like a mantra.

"My girl." He thrust. "My love." Another thrust. "My soul." Another hard thrust.

Aria sobbed. A noise half of pleasure and half despair.

"My Lucius," she cried out into the room as his cock began moving faster and stronger within her. She clung to him ever more tightly and met his thrusts with equal fervor as she ground her hips against the base of his cock every time he plunged in all of the way. The movement caused his alabaster skin to rub up perfectly over her sensitive clit.

Lucius wished their love making could last forever. If it did, he wouldn't have to face reality; but he knew that would not be the case as his pleasure mounted higher and higher and he felt her internal trembling, the start of her orgasm growing stronger and stronger. He barely moved within her now, his thrusts were so small but so deep, Aria could practically feel him in her stomach. This caused her to be able to rub her clit more urgently over the base of his cock as he met her with his smaller thrusts of his hips. He knew this usually drove her over the edge and sure enough as he looked into her eyes, he felt the moment that her building pleasure fell over the precipice and into oblivion. Her whole body shook, her inner walls clenched and pulsated around him and she sobbed out into the room as her body and mind shattered in pleasure and pain as her heart broke into pieces. She clung tightly to him as her body continued to quake and shudder.

The clenching of her walls around him had milked his pleasure out of him so amazingly that it had caused him to follow her in bliss as he shot his seed into her. His choked voice rang out into the room along with her sobs as he shouted her name out into the air. The two lovers trembled together and clung on to each other so tightly as if trying to melt into one another. Lucius stayed inside of her and gently kissed her head as he felt her hot tears on his chest, both of them breathing hard and deep.

The two of them stayed in bed clinging to each other, never letting go. Aria's mind raced as she thought of all of the amazing moments she had shared with Lucius thus far; most of them involving their beyond passionate and magical love making. She was a magical being but nothing in her life had even come close to the power that they produced when they were together and loving each other. As she pictured all of those moments, it was almost as if her life flashed before her eyes; because truly before Lucius, she didn't know what life was or could be. After a while Aria spoke.

"I wanted forever with you Lucius. I don't think I can survive this."

Lucius' heart broke again. Since last night it had constantly been breaking ever since. He wanted forever with her too.

"I want that too my love. I wanted it all with you. A life, a home, a family."

Aria's heart beat faster at hearing his words; he wanted a family with her. She had never told him, as it had seemed silly and childish, but she always imagined that if they had children, they would be the most beautiful blond cherubs imaginable. To hear that despite their age difference, and the fact that he had already had a family and raised a child, that he wanted to experience that with her too made her heart swell in happiness but then break again as she realized they couldn't have that future now.

"A family," Aria repeated as she looked into his grey eyes.

"Yes. Marriage, children. It would be the greatest honor of my life," he said as he moved his hand up to her face to brush a hair behind her ear and gently trace his finger back down her cheek and to her chin where he lightly gripped it with his index finger and thumb. "But I was never…could never have been worthy of that…" he said as he closed his eyes in pain at the truth of it. The moment he had finally found happiness and it had all come crumbling down.

More tears fell down Aria's cheeks. "You are worthy Lucius, so worthy. It would have been _my_ greatest honor to be yours, to bear your children…" she spoke softly. She had been on the wizarding world version of contraceptives since her and Lucius started becoming intimate, and part of her so badly wanted to take away the charm so that he could make love to her in that instant and impregnate her, to give her their child, something that she would be able to have left of him, as she would never see him again after he went to Azkaban.

He seemed to almost read her mind and she noticed his lips turn upwards in the briefest and softest of smiles, as if knowing and agreeing with her thoughts, but instead he brought her head back in close to his chest and just held her there. Aria eventually fell asleep again, but Lucius lay away and his mind raced like before. As the late afternoon turned into late night Lucius lay awake, his body refusing to let him sleep. In a few hours, the Ministry would surely be at his door wanting to arrest him. He was sure Draco and Narcissa would be at the Ministry first thing in the morning and it wouldn't take long.

At around midnight, Lucius untangled his limbs from Aria's sleeping body. He didn't want to disturb her but he knew he needed to get some things in order before he was taken away. He knew he wasn't going to sleep anyways, so he got fully dressed as quietly as possible as he put on his classic black suit with a pair of black robes on top. He pulled his hair back low on his neck. In a way he wanted to appear well groomed, so that when he was escorted from his home, he would have some of his dignity intact. He looked over at the sleeping angel in his bed one last time before he made his way down to the library. He sat at one of the large desks and pulled out some important papers such as the deeds to the Manor, records of all of his assets as well as his will and began changing and organizing everything.

At around 5:30 in the morning, Aria stirred in bed, not realizing she had been so emotionally drained. Her heart immediately starting pounding and she began panicking as she realized Lucius wasn't in bed with her anymore. Had they already come to take him? She would never forgive herself if she had missed him before he left. Not even bothering to put on any clothes she raced out of the room completely naked and cried out for him, her voice echoing in the large hallways of the Manor. Luckily as she approached the library, she saw the light from the fireplace in the library flickering, and she knew Lucius was still home.

Lucius had heard the panicked cries of Aria and immediately got up from the desk to go rush to her and comfort her, but before he could make his way out of the library, he saw her beautiful and naked body running into the room. She practically crashed into his body as she embraced him and held him tight. He held on to her just as firmly, confirming his presence to her, that he was still there, solid and real.

"I thought you had gone already," she breathed out with a sigh of relief as she buried her head into his chest. She then looked up into his eyes. He had clearly been up all night as he had dark shadows under his eyes, which made the silver-grey of his iris stand out even more.

"Not yet. Sorry to have frightened you my love. I had to get a few things in order. Come. Sit." He said motioning to the plush couch by the fire. The light of the fire glowed off of her bright blond hair and sun kissed skin. She looked beautiful, like a woodland nymph and he couldn't help but admire her and smile slightly.

He sat down at the desk again and turned to her as he motioned to the locked drawers of the desk. "Inside those drawers are all of my most important documents. This house, my assets, everything I own…it is all yours. This desk will only unlock for you, as I have set up charms that will only recognize your unlocking spell."

Aria stared at Lucius in shock, her mouth slightly hanging open. The Manor was hers…everything he had was hers. She couldn't accept it.

"Lucius, I can't! This house? I am not even a Malfoy. What about Draco?!"

Lucius' eyes narrowed at the mention of his son's name. "Draco has clearly shown that his family means nothing to him. He is why we are in this situation. You are my family, Aria. You are my soul mate. You are more a Malfoy to me than my ex-wife and son. I want you to be here. This house needs you to be able to thrive, to keep its rich history alive. I want you here. Promise me you will get rid of your flat and move here?" He looked at her with wide eyes as if pleading her to accept.

Aria did love the Manor. She had loved it since before she even knew Lucius, as she had told him all those weeks ago that she had always dreamed of this house in all of her favorite books about Wizarding history and architecture. She wouldn't let him down; she would love the house and its history as much as she loved Lucius. She would keep his memory alive. Although without him here in the Manor with her, she knew it would bring her so much pain. She didn't know what to do but she knew she had to promise him, so as to comfort him before he left.

"I…I promise," she said softly.

Lucius then explained to her more about his other assets and what they all meant and how she would be in charge of them when he was put into Azkaban. Suddenly at around 6 o'clock, a thunderously loud banging was heard at the front door. Both of them stood up, startled at the noise and both of them knew it was the Ministry. Aria ran over to Lucius and clung to him.

"NO!" She shouted as she breathed in his scent desperately as if engraining it into her memory. "I won't let you go!"

Lucius was breathing her in as well, memorizing her vanilla and roses scent he adored so much.

"I love you. I love you so much Aria," he cried out and grabbed her face in his hands roughly and kissed her with intensity.

" _Malfoy open up. You are under arrest!"_ Shouted the Ministry officers from outside.

Aria still clung to him desperately and kissed him back as tears fell down her face. Lucius held her naked body close against him and buried his face into her hair. He wasn't sure what came over him in that moment, but he had to have her.

"I need you. One last time," he said as he reached his hands from her face down to his zipper, releasing himself in lightning speed. His cock was already hard and urgently waiting for her, and he didn't even bother taking off any of his clothing. He pulled her down to their knees on the carpet in front of the fire and laid her down on her back. In a second he was inside of her, thrusting wildly as if his life depended on it.

" _Malfoy, open up we said!"_ came the booming voices outside.

Lucius continued thrusting in her, his eyes locked with hers, as she stared back up at him with such love and such emotion that he was paralyzed by the sight. Both of them knew the urgency of the situation and it didn't take long for Lucius to cry out as he came deep inside of her as he screamed out into the room. "I love you!"

He pulled out quickly as the banging on the door increased and the shouting outside grew more and more angry. As his seed still dripped from her at his sudden exit from her body, he quickly zipped up his pants and kneeled back down to the floor where Aria was sitting up, her knees brought in close to her chest as she hugged them close to her body. She looked so scared.

"I love you so much Aria. You are my everything, my life, _everything,"_ he said as he kissed her lips chastely a few last times.

"I love you so much Lucius," she said as the tears began to flow more and more.

With one final kiss of passion and connection he stood up and made his way out of the room. Before he turned to go out into the hallway and down the stairs to meet his fate, he turned one more time and looked at his soul mate. The tears streamed down her face, but the light of the fire was so beautiful against her and it was an image he would never forget. She stared at him, never breaking her gaze and with one final smirk from him, he went downstairs and opened the door.

" _Gentlemen."_ Aria heard him say as he put on his haughty and arrogant voice. With that, she heard the large front doors of the Manor close, and all was silent. She began to sob and sob and cry out into the room as she lay back down on the carpet and cuddled up into herself in the fetal position. She stayed that way for hours and hours with nothing but the sound of her cries and the crackling of the fire.

After many hours, she finally got up after all of her tears were spent and she had none left to give, she knew that the Ministry would surely be buzzing at this point about Lucius' arrest. Part of her wanted to stay here in the library and never ever go anywhere ever again. She was already dreadfully late to work, but truth be told, she really didn't care at all. However, as much as she wanted to stay and just be in the Manor amongst Lucius' things and his scent, she wanted to go to the Ministry. She would be closer to him there and she would be able to get a better sense of what was happening. News traveled fast around the Ministry and she wanted to be there to hear it first.

So, she regretfully trudged her way upstairs and put on the first items of clothing she could find in her drawers of things she kept at the Manor. She pulled out a pair of black jeans and a navy-blue top with tiny white flowers around it. She looked at herself in the mirror and almost flinched as her eyes were red and puffy from crying and her tears had caused streak marks down her pink tinged cheeks. She washed her face quickly, which helped somewhat, and she added a bit of mascara to hide the puffiness of her eyes. She grabbed her purse and walked into the fireplace in his room and used Floo Powder as she made her way to the Ministry.

When she arrived in the busy atrium of the Ministry, Aria could tell that everyone was abuzz with the news about Lucius. It broke her heart to know that people were only getting one side to the story. That Lucius was a madman who put mind-shattering Obliviate curses on innocent young wizards for no reason. She so badly wanted to tell the truth. That Paulo had been a rapist who had assaulted her, that Lucius was just defending her and protecting her. That their connection was so strong that he could physically feel whenever she was in danger. Lucius had made her promise to not get involved, but she didn't know if she would be able to. She desperately wanted to do something.

Aria made her way to her floor, which was even worse, since Lucius had been a part of her program and her department. People were whispering and gossiping, and it was making Aria's skin and mind burn and sear. She kept her eyes down as she made her way over to her desk where she sat and pretended to look busy.

Not long after she arrived Pepper took her seat at her desk next to Aria's.

"Oh hey Aria…" Pepper said delicately. Aria looked up at her friend and barely managed to smile. "I was just talking with Hermione, we were wondering if you were going to come in today…"

Aria didn't respond back. Even her best friend here had been gossiping. She knew Hermione hated Lucius, but both Pepper and Hermione knew of her feelings for Lucius and she felt awkward with the situation. However, Pepper was a good friend and genuinely cared and Aria felt a strong kinship towards her when she saw Pepper pull her chair up to face Aria in front of her desk and put her hand lightly on Aria's.

"Maybe they won't sentence him. Maybe he will say he was just using self-defense…" Pepper said hopefully.

"Oh Pepper," Aria said as tears fell down her face. "It's terrible. Lucius told me not to get involved, he still wants to protect me…and I doubt the Ministry will see using an Obliviate spell as self-defense…I don't know what to do. It kills me he is somewhere here at the Ministry and I can't go to him…help him…or hold him," she said quietly so no one else could hear.

Pepper patted Aria's hand as if trying to comfort her. "Is there anything I can do?"

Suddenly Aria remembered another promise she had made to Lucius; that she would try and get access to the Department of Mysteries to find out about their connection, their bond as soul mates. Yes, there was something Pepper could do, and that was to help her gain access to the exclusive Department.

"Actually, there maybe is something you can do to help me. Do you know anyone who could get me into the Department of Mysteries?"

Pepper stared at her friend in curiosity and interest. "I don't, but I am sure Hermione certainly would. She knows everyone, and I am sure she could get anyone to do anything for her. Why do you want to go there?"

"It is a lot to explain, but it would mean the world to me as it would help me discover more about myself…and Lucius. Plus, it will give me something to distract myself."

"Let's go ask Hermione then. Common she is just in her office."

Aria and Pepper made their way across the floor and down a few hallways until they came upon Hermione's office door. It was slightly ajar, but Pepper knocked a few times and they heard Hermione say "Come in."

Aria's eyes widened in shock when they entered Hermione's office and saw not just her but none other than the world's most famous wizard, Harry Potter, sitting across from Hermione at her desk.

"Pepper, Aria," she greeted them with a smile, although Aria noticed Hermione stared at her a bit longer, as if waiting for her to break down and cry or spontaneously combust.

"Hello," said Harry warmly in greeting as well.

"Ladies, I would like you to meet Harry Potter, my best friend," smiled Hermione.

"Yes, we know who you are!" said Pepper, which made both Hermione and Harry laugh.

"Nice to meet you," said Aria in wonder as she held out her hand to the legend. Harry smiled politely and shook her hand warmly, although when she took her hand out of his, she noticed his eyes fall on Lucius' ring on her finger. She realized Harry must knew whom it belonged to. He and Lucius had a long history.

"Harry is just here as the head Auror because of the…" Hermione stopped speaking immediately realizing she was about to say Malfoy Trial.

Aria looked down at the floor, as her eyes suddenly glistened with tears. She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of two of the greatest wizards of all time. Pepper, being as good of a friend as ever interjected the awkward moment by asking Hermione what they had come here to ask in the first place.

"Hermione, do you know anyone who works in the Department of Mysteries?"

Hermione clearly wasn't expecting that question and she looked at them both with curiosity. "Yes of course, but why?"

Aria had to think of something fast and she was luckily able to think quickly on her feet. "I…I think that I am involved in a prophecy and I would like to see if it would be accessible in the Department of Mysteries…it means a lot to me…" Aria said, hoping that would be a suitable enough answer to Hermione.

Hermione studied her for a bit and spoke, "But wouldn't your prophecy be somewhere in California, where you are from?"

Aria's quick thinking helped again. "Yes, well you see, my ancestors are from Europe and I think the prophecy involves them somehow," Aria wasn't completely lying. The image Lucius and Aria had initially seen in the Soul Prophecies book was ancient, so it could very well relate to her ancient magical ancestors…or his.

"Oh interesting," Hermione said pondering Aria's request. "Very well, yes I believe I know someone who can help. You know him too. James Walters, who helped you at Hogwarts for Ravenclaw house. He works in that department."

Aria's stomach turned. She had enough drama going on in her life right now, she wasn't too sure James would be the best person at this point to help her, but she had no choice and so she smiled politely. Hermione got up from her desk and told Harry she would be back and that she was going to escort Aria to James' office.

Aria smiled at Harry as she left the room to follow Hermione. "It was so nice to meet you Harry, truly an honor."

"Likewise," he said politely with a warm smile. "Hopefully we can talk again sometime soon," he said as he gave the ring on her finger one last glance.

It made Aria uneasy and she wondered what he meant by that, but as she followed Hermione out of her office, her mind instantly became excited at the prospect of what would be found about her and Lucius in the Department of Mysteries.


	20. Chapter 20- The Department of Mysteries

**Hi everyone! Don't forget to review! I love to hear what you all are thinking. Also don't forget that I made a Pinterest page with photos to go along with each chapter. I am VersaillesPixie on Pinterest. Look me up :) I also still own nothing and make no money off of any of these stories.**

**Please review!**

* * *

Hermione led Aria down to the Department of Mysteries, somewhere Aria had never been before in the Ministry due to its high-level secrecy. Hermione said little on the way, not knowing exactly what to say, if she should say anything at all even. When they were in the lift on the way down, she did manage to say a little.

"Are you doing ok Aria?" she said as she looked concernedly over at the young witch. Aria briefly smiled at Hermione's concern but then lowered her eyes down to the ground and shook her head.

"No, I am really not. I don't think I will ever be okay as long as _he_ is imprisoned. I feel like I have to do something…but he didn't want me to get involved…."

Hermione listened with care. She herself wasn't sure how she felt about Lucius being locked up; she hated seeing Aria in such distress about it, and she did get the feeling that Lucius truly cared and loved Aria, things she never thought a Malfoy was capable of. Perhaps the man had changed. The Ministry had seemed to trust him well enough to have him back in their folds and society the years after the War. Hermione still felt conflicted about it, because despite the fact that he may have changed, he was currently locked up in the Ministry for attacking one of the new ambassadors. The thing was, she couldn't figure out why he would do it. What would provoke him? Surely, he wouldn't needlessly risk his newfound happiness for the sake of nothing.

Almost as if reading her thoughts, Aria spoke again. "He did it for me you know…" Aria said quietly. Hermione looked at her with wide eyes of questioning. "He did what he did to Paulo, because Paulo attacked me…tried to rape me…. I was humiliated because I was new and didn't want a reputation. Lucius was avenging me I suppose…"

Right as Aria finished speaking, the lift doors opened up to the dark halls of the Department of Mysteries. Hermione felt as if she couldn't move as she still wasn't sure what to say to such a revelation. Aria made the first move and walked out of the lift and stepped into the dark hallway. Hermione finally stepped out too and turned to face Aria, as the lift doors closed behind them.

"Aria, why haven't you told anybody about this?"

"I have…I told Pepper the day after it happened."

"No, I mean anyone at the Ministry dealing with Lucius' arrest. Surely, they must know that Paulo wasn't as innocent, as they think him to be," Hermione said, trying to reason with her.

"I know! I want to say something, but Lucius told me he didn't want me getting involved. He is trying to protect my reputation. Not only from Paulo, but also from himself, I think. It breaks my heart. He thinks his darkness will corrupt me and everyone's perception of me," Aria said as tears began falling down her face again.

"And will it?" asked Hermione seriously.

"No," Aria said firmly. "I embrace all of him. His dark, his light. I love him with every fiber of my being, Hermione, and I know he feels the same way for me. He is a good man."

"Then you know what you have to do," Hermione said. She couldn't believe she was encouraging Aria to actually help get Lucius out of the situation he was now in. She detested the man…but through Aria's love and devotion for him, she could see a different side to him. Finally. "Meet Harry and I later. Harry is the head Auror on this case…maybe he can help."

Aria knew Hermione meant that she must go against Lucius' wishes if she wanted to potentially get him out of the situation he was in.

"Thank you, Hermione!" Aria said as she practically flung herself at Hermione and hugged her tightly.

Hermione didn't say anything but hugged her friend back and smiled gently. Not bringing up the subject again, she told Aria to follow her down one of the dark marbled corridors to where James' office was. As they reached his door, Hermione knocked three times and they could hear James' voice from within say, "Yes?"

Hermione opened the door and Aria noticed James' eyes take in his two visitors. His smile beamed when he saw Aria there, and Aria had an instant knot in her stomach form. She almost couldn't bear the thought of dealing with this all right now. James was such a nice and polite man, but he clearly desired her, and she felt bad that at some point she would have to let him down.

"Hermione. Aria!" he said as he stood up from his desk politely in greeting. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hi James," Hermione smiled. "Aria had some interest in getting into the Hall of Prophecies. She believes she might have one there regarding her."

"The Hall of Prophecies…" James seemed to be thinking about the request. "Well I suppose I could show you in there, however, you realize much of it was destroyed years ago…as you may well remember Hermione."

Hermione looked off into the distance as if remembering. "Yes…quite…" she said as she stared off.

"However, since the Ministry still has yet to restore the Hall or figure out what to do with it, I am sure it would be okay. Although, I am not sure how successful we would be at finding anything. If you don't mind me asking Aria, what makes you certain that there is a prophecy in there regarding you?"

"I asked the same thing," interjected Hermione.

"I just have a feeling. Please it is very important to me…" was all Aria said.

She was sure James could see the desperation and pain behind her eyes and so it took him only a split second for him to think about it before he agreed.

"Okay. Of course. I will do what I can to help," he said as he smiled kindly at her.

"Thank you so much," Aria said and smiled back as brightly as she could muster.

"Thanks James," added Hermione. "I'd best be off then. Got some work to do. I'll see you later Aria?"

"Yes, definitely."

And with that Hermione left James and Aria and made her way back up to her office. James turned to Aria and she could tell he felt nervous around her, but yet his kind smile stayed on his lips.

"Ready then?" he said as he began to make his way out of his office. Aria nodded and began following him down the black marble corridors of the Department of Mysteries. As they walked along the corridors James tried and make small talk with her, but Aria was barely paying attention. "I wish I could have spent more time with you back at Hogwarts. I greatly enjoyed our conversation and our similar interests," continued James.

She was too enthralled with looking around her to even notice what James was saying. "Mhm," was all she managed to say in return. She didn't quite care at that moment that she was being incredibly rude.

The department itself was dark and mysterious, just as its name suggested. Various doors lined the hallways each with different symbols on them. There was a door with the image of a brain carved into it in silver. Then there was a door with an archway and a skull carved onto it in an eerie, shining black metal. The last door on the left though, was the door that drew Aria in the most. Carved onto the door was a heart, carved in gold. Her skin all of a sudden tingled and buzzed, it almost felt like the power she felt when her and Lucius' skin and hair glowed during their times of great power and connection. Aria stopped directly in front of the door and reached her hand out to caress the golden heart, ignoring the fact that James had continued walking farther down the hallway and was still talking about how much he had enjoyed their time at Hogwarts.

James finally realized that Aria was no longer following him and briskly walked back around the corner to where he found her in front of the Chamber of Love's door, mesmerized and entranced. "Aria?"

"What's in here?" she said, her wide eyes not leaving the gold heart, almost as if she was willing herself to fall through to the other side.

"The Chamber of Love," James said as he eyed her curiously. She was acting quite peculiar and unlike herself, and he couldn't understand why. "No one is allowed in there unless authorized. It is rare to gain entrance to that room. It is thought to be dangerous…I myself don't even have access," he said as he tried reaching out to her as if to grab her hand to lead her away.

Her eyes finally snapped away from the alluring door and back to James, who she noticed was now staring at her with curiosity and confusion at her enthrallment of the door. One thing he said made her think though.

"You said it's dangerous in there…why? How can love be dangerous?" Aria asked. The buzzing and tingling of her skin still radiated through her.

"It is said there is a large fountain in there, containing one of the world's most addictive yet dangerous potions; Amortentia."

"The love potion?"

"Yes. It can be extremely addictive and harmful. Especially if it were to fall in the hands of someone with malicious intentions."

"Oh…." said Aria, dreamily. She still desperately wanted to get in the room. Her body and soul were telling her that something in there was important for her to see. "What if someone wanted to use it for good. For true love?"

James cocked his head at her, even more confused than ever at her extreme interest in the Chamber and what it held.

"Well, everyone knows Amortentia doesn't create true love…just an infatuation."

"But what if you are already in love…what if you take it yourself…?"

Aria could see James' heart sink at her words, as he must have realized she was talking about herself, already being in love.

James shrugged his shoulders at her question, with a look of sadness on his face, and then he started turning back towards the direction they had been heading before Aria had stopped at the door. "Either way we won't be able to get in the room…shall we move on then?"

"Hmm…okay…" said Aria as she looked one more time at the door and began making her way towards James and down the hallway with him.

They passed by a few more doors on the right. One had carvings of stars all over it in a shining blue metal and another door had the shape of a time-turner on it in a shimmering white metal. Finally, at the end of the hallway was a large arched doorway with two large marble doors.

"The Hall of Prophesies," James said as he motioned with his hands at the large, epic doors. He turned to them and put his hands on them. There must have been a magic that sensed if one was allowed in. Considering he worked in the Department of Mysteries, he must have immediate access.

They stepped into the dark, massive space. The high vaulted ceilings seemed to be hundreds of feet high and the Hall itself seemed to be an endless expanse. It almost gave Aria an uneasy sense of reverse claustrophobia. She was sure there was a phobia for large open spaces, and she was definitely feeling it at that moment. Being so intune with her body's sensations as well, the atmosphere of the room was one that made her feel uneasy. She couldn't help it when her body briefly shuddered, and a deep breath escaped her lips. James noticed her uneasiness and spoke.

"Much has happened in this room, all those years ago. They called it the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Much was destroyed here as you can see." He pointed with his finger at the ground and Aria then noticed that there were tons of broken glass all over the floors of the room. "Lucius was heavily involved during that Battle…with the Death Eaters." He continued as he looked over at Aria, with almost a glare in his eyes. Aria knew instantly that he definitely knew it was Lucius whom she was in love with.

"I know of his past," Aria said blandly, not wanting to betray too much emotion.

"And his present," contradicted James. "He is in trouble yet again. The whole Ministry heard about it this morning."

"He's a good man…" Aria said as she now squarely faced James and looked him solidly in the eye. She didn't want to talk about this anymore, especially with James. He was a nice man, but she would never have any feelings for him, or any other man. Her life was all Lucius now, and that is all it ever would be. "Let's go," she said boldly as she began making her way down the first expansive aisle.

Each row was floor to ceiling high shelves with what seemed to Aria as an endless amount of glowing blue prophecy crystal balls. Where would she ever begin? James soon caught up to her, as she had walked briskly away from him. He grabbed her hand and led her down the opposite aisle from where she was headed. "It's this way," he said as he nodded his head to the right. "Everything is organized in alphabetical order, based on the last name. De La Cour right? Ds are this way…"

Aria removed her hand from his almost at once but followed him to the right as her feet crunched on more broken prophesies. It was really a tragedy that so many had been ruined during the Battle so many years ago. Perhaps she would never find the answers she needed, perhaps there was no prophecy for her, or Lucius. Surely if there had been a prophecy for Lucius and the Malfoy family, he already would have known about it? However, he never even knew about the Soul Prophesies book back at the Manor, there could be a chance he didn't know about one here.

Aria and James made it to the section of names that started with _D_. The shelves were so high up she wondered how she would ever see if she had a prophecy. "How do you get all the way up there?" she asked James as she tilted her head all the way back, taking in how high up the shelving was.

James took out his wand and pointed it at the shelf. "Descendio," he said confidently. With that, the shelf began to descend into the floor as the high up shelves got closer and closer to reaching distance. As the shelf descended into the ground, the smashed glass from the floor crunched and cracked and shuddered, as if a mini-earth quake was happening. Aria was entranced at the use of practical magic.

"We are coming up on the names with De," said James as he flicked his wand once more and the shelf stopped descending.

Aria grew energetic with anticipation and excitement. As she scanned her eyes over the shelves, she was desperately looking for any sign of her last name. Her eyes were at _Deg_ , just a little bit more searching for the letters _Del_ …almost there. Her eyes landed on the beginning of names beginning with _Del_ and her heart sank. Her eyes scanned back and forth over the spot it should have been numerous times. Her eyes landed on the name _De La Cruz_ on a plaque, but there was no _De La Cour_ after it. She knew that it hadn't been destroyed either since this particular row of prophesies were extremely well intact, all of them unscathed and glowing brightly. She sighed out a sigh of disappointment and looked over to James. He had clearly seen that there was nothing there either.

"I am truly sorry," he said politely.

"Perhaps I can check one more name?" she said shyly, knowing he wouldn't like that question.

"Please don't say what I think you are about to say…" he grimaced.

Aria said nothing but began walking quickly away from James, almost running. Now that she knew how the expansive Hall was organized, she knew she had to go to the right and then make another right to go down the long aisle towards the back, to the _M_ section. As she began to fully run her feet crunched on the broken glass all over the floor. Some of it came up as she ran, causing some of the shards to come up and cut her hands. She winced slightly at the sting of it but didn't quite care. She had a goal.

"Aria! Aria wait!" James cried after her as he quickly followed her as she ran. She was determined, he would give her that.

As she turned suddenly once more into the row that contained the _M_ last names, her heart sank yet again, further. The prophesies here in the middle were much worse for wear than the ones that were up at the front. Especially the high up ones. The name _Malfoy_ would have been on the lower shelving since it was _Ma._ Tears began to fall down her face and to the ground on broken glass, her shining tears reflecting off of the dimly lit destroyed prophesies. Right as she went to turn around, her eyes caught on the floor the plaque with _Malfoy_ written on it. So, he had had a prophecy here…or at least his family had. Aria picked it up in her hands and held it gently, almost as if holding a delicate flower.

"Damn it…" was all she said as tears continued to fall.

James had finally caught up to her, he was breathing heavy from chasing after her. He saw her tears falling and although he had been upset with her for running off, he couldn't bring himself to chastise her at that very moment.

"I'm sorry Aria…" he said quietly. "But I think we should go now…"

Aria nodded her head but kept the plaque that said _Malfoy_ on it in her hand and slowly walked her way back down the long aisle, towards the front of the Hall. Both of their feet crunched on the broken glass scattered all about, but besides that, it was dead silent. James now knew about Lucius, and now the usual friendly feelings between the both of them had vanished. Aria didn't feel bad, however. She had never led James on in any way, and although she knew he had been interested in her, she had never given him any indication she had any interest back. She wouldn't be made to feel guilty for anything, and so she remained silent. They finally got back to the front of the Hall and James opened the heavy marble doors for her and led her out. As they walked back down the hallway James spoke.

"I am sorry that you didn't find what you were seeking. Perhaps it is for the best? Perhaps it will bring you closure?"

Aria said nothing in response and looked ahead, her mind feeling dead. As they passed by the doors with the symbols on them, they approached the one with the gold heart on it; the Chamber of Love. Aria's body began getting that buzzing and tingling sensation again. It was as if a magnet was drawing her in and the feeling was even stronger than the first time she passed by the door. As her eyes took in the door, the golden metal of the heart seemed to almost be pulsing, as if an actual beating heart, as the gold of the metal gleamed. Aria instinctually crossed over and put her hands on the door, one hand on the metal heart and one hand on the doorknob.

James looked at her with wide eyes.

"Wh…what are you doing. You shouldn't touch that door!"

Aria slowly moved her hand that was clasped onto the knob and turned it and felt the door give way a bit. The door wasn't locked to her, she knew at once that she somehow had the power to get in, that the door truly wanted her to enter it!

Aria stared at James with wide eyes full of excitement and determination.

"I'm sorry James…I have to. You say I should have closure, but I don't. Not one bit…"

"But you can't go in there Aria, it's dangerous and it will be locked. You can't get in."

"Don't wait for me," she said as she smirked over at James, her eyes glinting greener than ever.

"What?" he said confused as he went to reach out to take her hand off the door.

She quickly turned the knob, ever more excited to find it give way to her touch and flung open the door. The second she opened it she felt a power as strong as ever, like the times at the standing stones in Scotland or on Samhain night. It was the power she now knew as true love taking control. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, however it really all happened in a split second. She had thrown open the door and closed it behind her so quickly that James never had the chance to be able to stop her. She was inside the chamber, her back leaning up against the door, her eyes closed as she took in the sensations she felt. She heard James pounding on the other side, back out in the hallway, as he was yelling at her to come back out at once. She felt him trying to turn the doorknob himself but wasn't able to get it to open. The magic was only working for her, because the chamber knew that she was destined to be in there, to discover whatever secrets lay within. She could hear James yelling out in the hallway.

"How?!"

Aria knew not how; she only knew why. Because this was where she would find out the mysteries of her and Lucius' love. As the noise from outside slowly faded away and as she slowly opened her eyes, she noticed they took a second to adjust and she blinked several times to take in her surroundings. The room itself was otherworldly in color, as she found herself and the room bathed in a purple-ish blue light by the burning wall sconces, and the fire within them burned the same color. The room was a large, round circular chamber made of stone, and the room itself felt cold, but in a good way, the sensation and temperature made her skin tingle even more and she was sure she could feel a slight wind in the room as her hair slightly fluttered around her face. Around the circular room there were several doors, and in the dead center of the room was a beautiful stone fountain. It was double tiered and seemed to be ever flowing with a gorgeous and alluring shining gold liquid. As the liquid flowed from the top basin down into the bottom it created tiny sparkling bubbles which fizzed and popped as they floated around the fountain.

Aria knew at once that it was the Amortentia potion. Not only was it luring her in, but the magnetic pull that she had felt was growing stronger and stronger. Before she realized it, she was on her knees and looking into the fountain, her face inches away from the shining gold potion. She heard a small clinking noise to the side of her left ear and looked. A small crystal vile had appeared out of nowhere, and she knew at once the fountain was beckoning her to drink the potion. She smiled at the wonder and enchantment and mystery of the room and its purpose. No one knew for sure of the effects Amortentia would have on the person who drank it for them self, but she knew that is what she had to try. James had said this place was dangerous, but she felt no danger at all. She felt like she was exactly where she needed to be.

And so, she grabbed the tiny crystal vial and let the liquid from the top layer of the fountain pour into it, and soon enough the tiny vial glowed with the gold potion. She propped herself up so that she was now sitting on the ledge of the flowing fountain and put the crystal vial to her lips, ready to drink. Before she tilted her head back to let the golden liquid pour down her throat, her last though was of her Lucius. If this potion was to show her the truth about her love, she wanted to be doing nothing but thinking of him, having his memory encompass her being. She finally tilted her head back and drank in the potion. It tasted identical to Lucius' blood she had tasted Samhain night. She had described it as vanilla and ice and stars. She knew it made no sense but that is what he tasted like, just like this potion. She knew instantly that it had worked and that she was about to learn the truth. Amortentia was known to smell and taste like your true love, and she knew that was without a doubt Lucius' taste.

If someone were to have walked in at that very moment, they would have observed a girl sitting alone on the side of the fountain just staring off into space. But what Aria felt inside was beyond anything, even more than the power she felt with Lucius on those special nights when they glowed and shone brightly. Her skin tingled, almost to the point of pain, her chest felt heavy, but in a good way, as if being blanketed by the most protective comfort and her eyes felt wider than they had ever been before, as if taking in every truth of the world. Instead of green her eyes now glowed a bright gold as the potion worked its magic throughout her body. Her body was not her own anymore and the potion was now controlling her. She got up from where she sat on the fountain, as if on autopilot. She wasn't controlling her movements, the potion was, but she trusted it. She walked through one of the doors of the Chamber and into another smaller circular room. This room was empty, and Aria wondered why the potion had led her inside this smaller chamber.

All of a sudden, she heard whisperings of a soft voice within her head, almost as if the chamber, or the potion or some otherworldly entity was speaking to her, directly into her soul. Then she saw a glowing begin to form on the ceiling of the chamber. Images began appearing, sporadically, but definitely visible as they glowed brightly above her. Her golden eyes stared up at the ceiling in wonder, and her heart brightened, and she smiled as she saw the same image she had seen from the Soul Prophesies book of the two lovers embraced together with the sun and the moon combining. She saw the Latin prophecy from the book as well:

_vir et mulier  
amor primo aspectu  
est vinculum eorum in perpetuum  
nexum illorum perceptiones et mutare  
Tenebris lucem puritatem munditiae fiet_

_man and woman_

_love at first sight_

_their bond is forever_

_their connection will change perceptions_

_Dark purity will become light purity_

And then more words and images began appearing on the ceiling, words and images that hadn't been in the Soul Prophesies book. She knew at once more parts of the puzzle to her and Lucius' love were now being revealed. She didn't even realize she had laid down on the floor, on her back, looking up at the ceiling, she was in such a trance. As she laid on her back staring up with wide, glowing eyes she thought about the new images and words she was seeing.

She saw the word _"Veela"_ appear several times all over the ceiling as if the word was trying to encompass everything it was showing her. Should couldn't believe it. Was she a Veela? She knew of those magical creatures, semi-human, gorgeous magical beings that lured people in with their beauty and their love. But did that mean Lucius was one too? He too was also exceedingly beautiful and had the same gleaming blonde hair that Aria had, both identifying traits of a Veela. Her heart beat faster and faster as she realized this was the connection…they were both Veelas…or at least it was in their blood. How had they not realized it before that they had Veela DNA in their blood? It had been so apparent from their physical outward appearances.

The images she saw were just as enthralling and amazing to her. They were images similar to the one from the Soul Prophesies book, featuring Aria and Lucius, but the images showed the two of them together in what appeared to be different time periods. One image showed the two of them embracing each other in 1500s Renaissance clothing, during the time of Elizabeth I, another image featured them in almost Viking type leather clothing, more ancient in feeling, with their long blond hair braided down their backs. Another image glowed on the ceiling, and showed the two lovers wearing thin, white robes with garlands and plants in their hair, and Aria's breath stopped when she saw the two lovers were standing in front of the Scottish standing stones that her and Lucius had been to that one magical night; here they seemed to be ancient Celtic druids. In each image the sun and moon symbols were featured prominently, and the lovers always embraced each other like their lives depended on it.

One last image of the two of them appeared and it was them, as they were now, in this time period. Lucius held Aria closely as his black robes encompassed both of their naked forms as their bodies and hair combined and they held each other with such tender love, Aria's already quickly beating heart felt it might burst.

With what the images were showing her, Aria couldn't help but think that the truth was that they were a special kind of soul mates; soul mates throughout time destined to be together. The images of them in different time periods could have meant that those were the times their love was most strong. Or could it be that those were the only times they had found each other throughout time? Were they always searching for each other in every life? Aria didn't even think that there was the possibility of past lives, but these images, if they were what she thought they were, proved that there was such a thing. Aria lay on the ground for what seemed like hours, as the images and the words glowed brightly before her. The whispering voice in her head repeating the Latin prophecy over and over again. Finally, the voices began fading in her head and the images on the ceiling began fading as well until everything was once again quiet and the room was empty.

The gold from Aria's eyes had disappeared and her natural bright green had returned. She slowly got up, feeling slightly lightheaded, but feeling energized and more alive than ever before. The first thing she needed to do now was find a book about Veelas and what their true powers could be. Besides obviously being soul mates throughout time, Aria knew that Veela blood is what connected her and Lucius.

She walked back out into the main chamber and took one more look around. She was quite tempted to take more of the Amortentia, but realized she no longer needed it anymore. She had her truth, she had her love, and her heart was full. All she needed to do now was save Lucius. And that is what she would do. As she made her way out the door, James was slumped against the wall across from the door looking down at his feet. He had been waiting for her the whole time. He immediately got up when she came out of the door, his face halfway between anxiety stricken and angry.

"Aria!" he was about to go off on a tangent, but Aria put her hand up and gently touched his arm in a way of gratitude as she cut him off by beginning to talk.

"I am sorry…and I thank you…my heart is so full right now. I got all of my answers, I got my truth." She smiled brightly at him as she removed her hand from his arm. Without another word she turned away from him and made her way down the long black marble hallway, down to where the lifts were and made her way back up and out of the Department of Mysteries.

James could only look at her with an open mouth and remained wordless as he watched her walk away, so nonchalantly, as if nothing had just happened.

* * *

As Lucius sat in his Ministry cell, awaiting his trial, he had been doing nothing but thinking of his Aria. It was the only thing keeping him calm right now. He had put on an act of being cool and levelheaded when he had been initially arrested, but he couldn't help but come to know that pit of dread in his stomach at the prospects of going back to Azkaban.

As he leaned back against the barren walls of the cell, the strangest feeling came over him. It almost felt like the times he and Aria had made love at the Stone Circle or on Samhain night. His skin felt alive and tingled all over, then his eyes glazed over and it almost felt as if his brain was not his own anymore. He felt scared at first, wondering what was happening, but then all of a sudden, he could sense her, sense Aria. He could smell and taste her, her beautiful honeyed, sunshine taste. A strange voice began whispering in his head, and he almost wondered if he was going mad, but then in his mind's eye he could see images. Images of him and Aria, throughout the ages, always embraced. He saw the Soul Prophesies book and the Latin prophecy within it, he saw the word Veela, clearly in his mind as the voice continued whispering to him in Latin. It felt like hours that he was under this spell when all of a sudden, everything faded, and his vision and mind went back to normal.

His heart beat fast and his breath was rapid, and his heart was so incredibly full as he realized that she had done it; Aria had discovered the truth about them. As he took in the truth for himself and thought about all of the images and their meaning, he smiled widely, as widely as he had ever smiled, and a single tear fell down his cheek. The truth was found.


	21. Chapter 21- The Greatest Magic of All

**Please please please review! I want to hear from you all. Thank you for supporting me. As a reminder, I do not own any of these characters. As another reminder, don't forget I have a Pinterest page which coincides to each chapter. I have a few boards up now! Pinterest.com/Versaillespixie**

* * *

Aria smiled the entire way up and out of the Department of Mysteries. Her attitude and depression from that morning had completely done a full turn around and she now felt the lightest and happiest she had ever been (besides the times she spent making love to Lucius of course). She had the truth of their love, although she still had to do a bit of research, and she still also had to go see Hermione and Harry who were going to help her with Lucius' trial. She had a good feeling that things would work out. With a love as strong and powerful as her and Lucius shared, it couldn't not work out.

Aria didn't even bother to go back to her desk and work. Too much had happened that morning for her mind to go back to normal mode and instead she took one of the large fireplaces in the atrium of the Ministry and Floo powdered, back to the Manor, not caring in the slightest that she was ditching work. The Manor seemed to embrace her return, as she was now the sole owner and heir of the famous property, and she sent out a silent wave of love and adoration for the building, letting it know it was taken care of and loved, and that its true master would be home soon.

She immediately went up to the library. Lucius' library was so vast and impressive, she knew she would find what she needed in there, although part of her did wonder if only perhaps Hogwarts would have had a better selection. Although she didn't exactly feel like a "creature" herself, she knew she would have to look in the Magical Creatures section of the library. Veelas were considered more than just human so she knew that she couldn't just look in the muggle, witch or wizard history sections. As she scanned her eyes over the section of books in the Malfoy library pertaining to magical creatures, her eyes fell on a large grey book which title read, _"Ancient Magical Creatures."_ Aria instantly thought of the amazing images she had seen of her and Lucius in the Chamber of Love back at the Department of Mysteries. Their love had seemed to span time and she knew their bond was an ancient and powerful type of love. This book would be a good place to start; hopefully there would be a section about Veelas.

Aria opened up the thick book and was happy to find her intuition was right. There was a rather large section about Veelas towards the back of the book. Her eyes grew wide as she took in the text and her heart beat fast as she smiled and reveled in what the text revealed to her.

**_Veela_ **

_Veelas are ancient magical beings, typically female, although occasionally male, who are often identifiable by their white-blonde hair and often times glowing and luminescent skin, and most notably, their surpassing beauty. Veelas are so beautiful in fact, that they are often known to be able to hypnotize others, just by their beauty alone. Veelas have their own type of magic, which does not require a wand, which makes them one of the most powerful types of beings. Their hair also contains magical properties and is suitable for use within a wand, as its core. Veelas are reported to be an even older and more ancient species than witches and wizards._

_Native to Bulgaria, Veelas are mostly discovered in parts of Europe such as France, Scotland, Ireland and Norway being major locations for Veelas to live and thrive. There are almost no full blooded Veelas in the world anymore, as over the millennia, Veelas have mated with witches and wizards. Most beings with Veela blood will have the magical powers from their witch or wizard parent and the beauty and charm from their Veela parent. However, there are still some very powerful and prominent Veela families in Bulgaria and France. One such famous Veela family, the Delacours, rose to fame when a young Fleur Delacour, garnered notoriety when she competed in the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1994._

Aria stopped reading for a minute and laughed aloud to herself as she just realized she had overlooked such an important detail her whole life. Fleur _Delacour!_ Of course, she knew of the Triwizard Tournament and Fleur Delacour. She had admired the witch her whole life, and it suddenly dawned on her that they shared a last name, although Aria's was spelled out and not combined like Fleur's was. How could she have overlooked that her whole life?! Perhaps because she hadn't been searching for Veela history as she was now, and although there could be many De La Cours, or Delacours, she couldn't help but think that they might be related somehow as they both clearly possessed Veela blood. Shaking her head at herself, she went back to reading the text in the book.

_Besides having their own type of magic, Veelas are also very in-tune and sensitive to other forms of ancient magic such as sacred spaces; examples of which are human-erected standing stones, healing springs, sacred trees, forests, etc. They will also discover their magic is most powerful on the days of the year that coincide with the Pagan days of importance such as the winter, fall and summer solstices, Samhain, Yule, etc. At these places, or on these days, Veelas will find their powers magnified and their hair and skin will often glow intensely if these heightened powers are used._

_One of the most studied and admired aspects of Veelas are their emotional connections and bonds they can form, especially with other Veelas. Males are rare in the Veela species and so it is very extraordinary to see a couple in which both a male and female partner contain Veela blood. It is believed that Veelas are one of the only creatures on Earth that truly are able to have a soulmate._

_It is thought that very powerful Veelas will often have one mate, a soulmate, throughout their life. It is also interesting to note that it is believed Veelas live multiple lives and although it is exceptionally rare, there is a possibility they will find their true soulmate in more than one of their lives. Only the most powerful Veelas will experience this; in fact, it is so rare and unthinkable that it is believed that there is possibly only one Veela couple throughout the ages that are truly bonded soulmates. These two soulmates, if they exist, are thought to be the first instance of true love in the universe; and their love is what created true love for all other living things. There have been some records of stories and prophesies throughout the centuries of such a couple existing, although historians have never actually gotten proof of such a love of two soulmates. If a love such as that does exist through the ages, the power of the couple and their union would be limitless._

_Veelas truly are one of the more mystical beings on this Earth and are a species that should be revered not only for their power, but for their embodiment of love, the most powerful magic of all._

Aria came to the end of the passage about the Veelas and found her heart beating fast again. She couldn't quite believe it, but she was pretty sure her and Lucius were the soulmate couple that the book talked about. It was the only thing that truly made sense when she combined it with the images, she had seen of them in the Chamber of Love. She remembered the images of them clearly in different times, such as the Renaissance or as millennia old druids in front of the standing stones, and it had to be the answer.

So, they were the profound couple. The love of all loves. Their love had created love for all living beings. The weight of that knowledge was heavy upon Aria's shoulders in that moment, as if she had the greatest responsibility in the universe, and she wished so badly she could share this with Lucius. What would he make of this? Would he also believe that they were the prophesized and almost unreal first couple of true love? Was this life one of their lucky lifetimes where they found each other? Would they always find each other throughout time? She hoped, but she wasn't too sure, as that is not what the images from the Chamber of Love had showed her. She had a feeling they only found each other in certain lives. That thought made her heart break into a million pieces at the thought of other lifetimes where they hadn't found each other. What became of them in those lifetimes? She needed Lucius so badly in this moment and she realized she desparately needed to speak to Harry and Hermione. She had found out as much as she could at the moment about her and Lucius, but now it was time to save his life; and thus, saving his life would save hers as well.

Aria was able to send one of Lucius' owls urgently over to the Ministry to ask Hermione to come over to her flat later that evening and to please invite Harry to come as well. Hermione had told her to contact her later, but Aria didn't want to have the meeting at the Ministry. Too many people, too many chances of people listening. As much as it pained Aria to leave the Manor for a little bit, she knew her flat was the most neutral place to have the meeting. Hermione and Harry might have felt odd and uncomfortable if they were to have met at the Manor, especially Hermione, as Aria knew that she didn't have the best history and memories with Malfoy Manor.

After making sure everything was safe and secure at the Manor, she used Floo Powder to travel back to her small London flat. She realized she hadn't been back to her own space in so long. Lucius was right, she then realized, whether he got out of prison or not, she really should move out and into the Manor officially. It felt right, more than right, it felt vital. There was no reason to stay, she didn't desire to have her own space anymore. She wanted Lucius, only him, all of the time. After this was all over, whether it ended good or bad, Aria would move into the Manor. The thought of it thrilled her; never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would be living in one of the most historical and culturally significant wizarding Manors of all time.

* * *

At around 6 o'clock in the evening, Aria heard a faint knock at her door and opened it to the warm smiles of Hermione and of Harry Potter. Aria grew rather starstruck again at the sight of Harry; it wasn't every day you welcomed the world's most famous wizard into your home.

"Hermione! Mr. Potter! Please come in," Aria said as she opened the door wide for them and motioned with her hand for them to make themselves comfortable.

"Harry, please," Harry said politely with a smile as he stepped into Aria's flat.

Aria smiled and was slightly flushed, being a bit nervous to be in the presence of such famous and great wizards, but she motioned for them to make themselves comfortable at her petit dining room table as she went to the kitchen to get them some refreshments.

"Would you guys like any tea? Or maybe perhaps something stronger? Anything to eat?"

"Tea for me please," said Hermione politely.

"Tea sounds great," agreed Harry.

Aria quickly put a kettle on to boil and set out a nice plate full of tea cookies and biscuits. As for herself she poured a rather large glass of red wine, as she had a feeling she would need it for the coming conversation. Hermione and Harry chatted sociably amongst themselves while Aria prepared the refreshments, but as soon as Aria brought over the tray of tea and snacks, Harry and Hermione instantly became quiet, in a polite and reserved way however, almost as if inviting her to start out the conversation on her own terms.

"Well, I just want to thank you guys so much for coming over here tonight and hearing me out…especially you Harry…I know you don't really know me, but it means a lot," Aria started off.

"Of course," he said kindly, his very green eyes stared at her warmly, as if urging her to go on.

"Well, I just wanted you to know, before the trial tomorrow, that Lucius didn't do this for no reason….it was because of me. He was defending me," said Aria. Her equally as green eyes penetrating his, trying to make him see the truth in her words. She continued on.

"You see…on one of my first nights here in London, I was out with the new ambassadors, a group Paulo was in, and on my way home, he followed me….and…." Aria swallowed, feeling the rise of shame and embarrassment inside of her start to bubble up. Aria looked at Hermione in that moment for support. She knew Hermione already knew and she sought out Hermione's encouragement. Hermione looked back at her with warm, brown eyes and nodded her head in reassurance.

"He beat me, slapping and punching; he choked me…molested me…tried to rape me and almost succeeded…. if it wasn't for Lucius, that is. Lucius saved me," Aria said finally, as she looked back to Harry and took a long swig of her wine.

Harry looked at her with surprise written on his features, mixed with other emotions such as sympathy and understanding.

"Aria, I am so sorry that happened to you," Harry said first and foremost. "I want you to know that we don't take things like that lightly. And secondly, I must admit I am rather shocked that Lucius would do something to help another…I have never seen that side of him before. Was he with you that night?"

"No, he wasn't," Aria said as she shook her head. "I told Hermione this, but Lucius is a good man. I completely understand how that would be hard for you guys to see, I really do understand, but Lucius is the most extraordinary man. I would be lost without him and I know he would literally lay down his life for mine."

Harry listened to her as he took in all that she was saying, his eyes widening behind his glasses at her words of love for Lucius.

"You say he wasn't with you that night, then how did he know that you were in danger?" asked Harry.

After everything that Aria had found out about her and Lucius' bond and connection, she knew now that Lucius had known of her danger because of how tightly their souls were bound, and that they were almost one of the same being.

"Well that brings me to the next thing I wanted to tell you guys," Aria said as she looked from Harry to Hermione and took another large sip of wine. "Today at the Ministry, I found out some amazing things…"

"Oh boy," Hermione half laughed, and half sighed at the same time. "Aria you do realize how freaked out James was after you left the Department of Mysteries this morning?"

Aria grimaced at the trouble she had created for James, but she felt no regrets. She would do it all over again.

"Shit, I bet he's livid…I am sorry for going against the rules, but a magic I couldn't control, or resist, pulled me in and I had to find out my truth. Is he going to report me to the Minister of Magic _?_ _ **"**_

"No, he's not," smirked Hermione. "I think he still has a slight infatuation with you, even after all of the trouble you apparently got into this morning. Now tell us, what did you discover?"

Harry looked back and forth between the witches, one of his eyebrows raised in question, not too sure if he should be hearing about so much rule breaking. He was curious though and wanted to know as well what happened that morning. Harry would never report someone for breaking the rules if it was for a good reason though. He, himself, had done that all throughout his youth. He couldn't consciously report someone for doing what he would have done himself.

Aria couldn't help but smile and her eyes gleamed as she told Hermione and Harry about her adventures in the Department of Mysteries that morning. How the door to the Chamber of Love, that was usually locked for everyone else, magically opened at her touch. How she drank the Amortentia Potion. At that point Hermione had gasped and cut in.

"I can't believe you drank that! That potion is extremely dangerous and volatile," she exclaimed. "But I also can't believe how the potion affected you so differently. It is like the makeup of your body, your very DNA, changed the way the potion worked on you. It didn't cause you to have an infatuation, it caused you to see your truth. The truth about your love and your soul…Do you realize how big of a discovery this is for the Wizarding World. Aria this is a very big deal."

"Oh, please don't tell anyone Hermione!" Aria said as she reached out across the table and grabbed Hermione's hand, as she pleaded with her.

"Don't worry I won't, I promise. It is all just so fascinating. You are the first witch in an age to have been granted access to the Chamber of Love! Perhaps if I could study the effects of the potion on you myself we could discretely-"

"Hermione," Harry cut into Hermione's train of thought, "let Aria finish the story."

"Oh alright…go on then Aria, I'm sorry," Hermione said with a huff, to which Aria laughed slightly.

Aria continued on with the story, about how the potion seemed to take over her body and led her to the smaller chamber where she had seen the images of Lucius and herself throughout time, and the word _"Veela"_ that had appeared to her over and over again. She let her story sink in before she told them about the book she had just found at Lucius' library. She had luckily had the forethought to bring it with her to show proof. She could tell Hermione and Harry were engrossed in her story, as they literally sat on the edges of their seats.

"After my experience in the Chamber of Love, I went to the library at the Manor and I found this book," Aria reached for the _"Ancient Magical Creatures"_ book on the nearby coffee table. "Here," she said as she turned the pages to the section about Veelas. Aria pushed the book forward towards Hermione and Harry so they could read the section. While reading, Aria could hear Hermione's occasional intake of breath as she read more about Veelas. Harry on the other hand remained quiet as he read, as he took in the information.

"Aria, are you saying you believe you and Lucius are the Veela soulmates that this book speaks of?" asked Hermione.

Aria nodded her head up and down slowly, but with confidence. "I do. I know it to be one hundred percent true. With everything I have learned today in the Chamber of Love, and then when I found this, it all comes together and makes sense," Aria said. "And to answer Harry's question from earlier about how Lucius knew I was in danger that night, well, he told me he just 'had a feeling.' Lucius and I have had other instances of intense and unusual power as well, especially on important nights for magical folk such as Samhain…especially when our emotions are…strong," Aria said as she blushed. She wouldn't go into too many details about their passionate and life altering love making.

After a long while of silence, in which everyone was absorbing the information, Harry finally spoke.

"The power of true love is the most powerful magic on Earth. I know that firsthand. My own mother used the magic of true love to protect me when I was a baby against Voldemort," he said.

Aria nodded her head as she remembered learning about his history. "Yes, I remember the stories. It was so inspiring to me as a young student."

Harry smiled at her, and Aria appreciated how kind and humble of a man he was; that fame and glory had not gotten to him. She could see why he was Hermione's best friend. Harry continued on.

"Above all things I believe in love. As much as I can't imagine Lucius Malfoy having the capability of having love or emotions as deep as this, if you two truly are this rare Veela couple that only appears every few lifetimes, than his love for you would drive him to do just about anything, I imagine," pondered Harry. "Take that and put it with the fact that Paulo was an attempted rapist and physically hurt you, I would say Lucius had somewhat been acting within reason…although he should have let the Ministry and the Aurors handle it instead of mind-wiping him."

Aria was now the one on the edge of her seat as she listened to Harry work out what he was thinking. Her heart was beating fast and she almost cried tears of joy when she heard Harry vindicating Lucius in a way. She would never reveal that Lucius had also used the Cruciatus curse on Paulo, that was something she hoped would never come up. As much as she knew, the Ministry hadn't investigated his wand and its previous spells it had used, since he had owned up right away to using the Obliviate curse. She took that small blessing and thanked their lucky stars.

"So you don't think Lucius will have to go to Azkaban?!" Aria asked, her voice growing loud with nervous energy and hope.

Harry thought for a while and then looked into her green eyes with his own.

"No, I don't," he said finally. Aria's tears fell freely now, and she was sobbing with joy, but Harry continued on speaking. "But…I am not saying he won't be punished in one form or the other. And Aria, I must warn you of something else. Your revelation will have to be revealed to the Ministry. In order for me to help you and Lucius, I must tell them of what you two are. They have to know that Lucius did what he did for love, and that love drove him to protect you by any means necessary."

Aria thought about the repercussions of this; she knew her and Lucius would have to go public about their relationship eventually, and she had actually wanted that. But with the revelation that they were so much more than a normal couple made her nervous. There would be headlines about it for sure; not only because of Lucius' prominence in society, but also because of what they were. They were a centuries old myth come to life. The myth was no longer a myth though; what they were was real. Lovers throughout time that had been prophesied through the ages. They were quite special indeed. Aria thought about it, but eventually nodded her head. Anything to get Lucius out of his current situation. As Harry had said, their love would drive her to do anything.

Hermione had been quiet for a while, but she breathed out another long sigh. "Gosh I can't believe the Malfoy family is part Veela…I feel so dumb, I should have known. If their blond hair and good looks weren't enough, the fact that they are a centuries and generations old wizarding family; it all makes sense."

Harry smirked at Hermione's frustration and turned back to Aria. "She's always mad when she isn't able to figure out or discover a big mystery first," laughed Harry.

Hermione laughed at his comment but jokingly slapped him on the arm. "Alright Harry, enough teasing."

Aria laughed briefly but her mind then thought about Lucius, still in the Ministry prison and she became serious yet again. "Harry, can I ask for your help one more time? Can you help me get in to see Lucius tonight? I must tell him everything that happened to me today. Please I am begging you!"

Harry looked at her for a good long while as he contemplated her request. The desperation and longing in Aria's eyes must have convinced him. Finally, he sighed out and relented. "Yes, I suppose, but no more than fifteen minutes! That is all the time I will have to properly distract the guards I am guessing."

"Oh Harry! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Aria said as she got up from her chair and went over to him and kissed him on the cheek, to which Harry blushed practically scarlet.

"Oh of course, yes, I, no problem, um.." Harry stuttered, clearly taken off guard by Aria's kiss on the cheek.

Hermione simply rolled her eyes. "Oh dear, Harry do stop."

"What?!" said Harry defensively. "It must be the Veela charm working on me," he joked.

Aria joined in on the laughter between the three of them, although her mind was working in overdrive. She would have only about 15 minutes to be with Lucius tonight, and for now that was enough.

* * *

It was around 10 o'clock by the time Harry had arranged to sneak Aria into the prison of the Ministry. Aria had worn a long navy-blue wizarding cloak with a hood, mainly to hide most of her face and of course, her bright blond hair. The Ministry was rather dark and empty when they arrived, and they appeared to be the only two people wandering the halls at this hour. That made Aria feel better about the situation. Harry led them into one of the lifts which took them down a few floors; Aria realized that the Ministry Prison was rather close to the Department of Mysteries; she had been so close to Lucius that morning and hadn't even realized it. Part of her wondered if he could magically feel what had happened to her earlier; she hoped he did.

As the lift opened, Harry told her to wait around a dark and hidden corner as he talked to the security who guarded the door. The plan was to tell the security guards he had some official Auror business that had to be conducted after work hours to ensure its secrecy. As head Auror, and of course being Harry Potter, they both knew the guards would follow his every instruction. As he distracted them, he would utter an unlocking charm on the main door into where the cells were, as well as Lucius' specific door. Only the Aurors and the guards had the knowledge of each specific charm to unlock the doors.

The plan worked rather seamlessly. As Aria watched from her vantage point in the dark, she saw Harry speaking with the guards and lead them away, most likely towards the offices, and right before he left with them, she saw him remove his wand discreetly and flick it toward the main door to the prison cells. That was her sign that it was safe to go. When she was sure she was alone she quickly went through the main door and down the hallway that clearly led to the cells. They weren't typical prison cells with bars, but more like small private rooms that one would see at a doctor's office, or more like an insane asylum, thought Aria. She looked through each tiny window trying to see Lucius, until she finally saw his platinum blond head laying down on the small bed in his cell.

Lucius heard his door open and he sat upright so quickly, it startled Aria. It took both of their eyes to adjust, as it was extremely dark in his cell, but as soon as Aria pulled her hood down off her head, and her bright blond hair was revealed, Lucius gasped and immediately strode over to Aria and embraced her so tightly it took the breath out of her in the most amazing of ways. They clung to each other as they never had before, both of them crying tears of happiness and love.

"My girl, my girl, my love," Lucius kept saying over and over as he embraced her tighter and buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent.

Aria did much the same as she cried into his black robes, the same robes he wore that morning. He still smelled just as amazing; even more amazingly so, since Aria had no idea if she would ever smell those scents again.

"Lucius!" she cried just before she kissed him so passionately that they both sunk to the floor in a heap of robes and limbs. "I don't have much time my love, but I wanted to tell you what happened to me this morning; you have to know."

"I saw it my love. I saw everything through you!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her face between his hands.

"You saw what I saw? In the Chamber of Love? The images of us through time and that we are in fact Veelas?"

"Yes! I saw everything," he explained further. "I was just sitting here in my cell thinking of you, and all of a sudden I felt like my body wasn't mine anymore and I then I saw the most amazing images. Of us. So, it is true then; we are soulmates. I knew it from the moment I first laid my eyes upon you," he said tenderly as he kissed her again.

"Yes, my love, but it's more than that," she said as she took out from her robes the book, she had showed Harry and Hermione. "Here read this," she said as she turned the pages to the section about the Veelas as she then used a Lumos spell to light her wand so he could read.

As Lucius read, Aria told him of her experience in the Hall of Prophesies, and that although there was no prophecy, she had found their complete truth in the Chamber of Love. Lucius finished reading the passage, and Aria could feel his hands slightly trembling.

"Aria, do you know what this means?" he said slowly as he tried to control his emotions and trembling body. "With you being able to open the Chamber of Love's door and with what this book says about our power being limitless…this is the power my body and mind has been after my entire life….not the Dark Lord's supposed power…but us…this power that is beyond any power. The power of our love. We are true soulmates; the first soulmates of all time. This is what I have been searching for throughout my life; throughout all of my lives…you."

"Yes, Lucius. It's always been us. Since the beginning of human-kind and of magic. We are one of the first magics of the universe."

They put their heads against one another's and just held onto each other tightly as they let the truth sink in between them. Aria felt again that sense of responsibility resting on her shoulders, but with Lucius here by her side she now wanted to embrace it instead of run from it. She could instantly feel when Lucius' emotions started rising again, right before he spoke.

"I am sorry in this lifetime I had to cut our time short…" he said his voice cracking. "Perhaps in another lifetime soon, I will find you again."

Aria knew he was talking about his return to Azkaban. She knew she must tell him of her plan.

"No Lucius, I am not letting you go. I am getting you out. Harry Potter is helping us…he is the reason I am here now too."

"What…?" he said, his voice heavy with confusion.

"I spoke with Hermione and Harry this evening…I told them everything. Of Paulo, and what he did, and that you did what you did to protect and avenge me. Harry understands. He said he knows how love can make one do anything, and that love is the most powerful magic."

Lucius didn't speak but she could feel his chest rising and falling rapidly. Aria continued on.

"He says you won't be going to Azkaban for what you did. There might be some punishment, but he says with my testimony, we will be able to have you go free. The only thing is, everyone will know about us; about our relationship…and now about what and who we are. It is going to be big news, I am afraid to say."

"I can't believe Potter wants to help me. And Aria, I didn't want you to have to be involved; I wanted to spare you of all this" said Lucius as he still absorbed everything Aria was saying to him.

"I made him understand who you are Lucius. I made him understand the power of our love and what we are. And I would never stop until you were free. I would do anything for you," Aria replied as she reached her hand out and laid it on his chest, feeling his rapidly beating heart. At her gentle touch she then felt it slow and go back to a steady rhythm.

"My brave, beautiful, amazing, brilliant girl," was all Lucius said as he leaned in and kissed her. Aria tasted more tears on his lips, and she drank them in, trying to absorb all of his emotion into her. "I can't believe you are mine; that this is my life…it is more than I could have dreamed of."

Aria said nothing but then replaced her hand over his heart with her head, and she felt instantly comforted by the sound of his heart. Lucius held onto her tightly the few remaining minutes they had left, never wanting to let her go. In fact, he was afraid to let her go; rarely did he feel afraid, but after tonight he almost couldn't bear to have her leave him now. He wanted her so badly too, but knew it wasn't the place or time, although as usual, he couldn't help the fact that his cock stood straight to attention at her touch and her embrace. He thought he would never have her again, but now with the knowledge he would be free again, he couldn't wait to return back to the Manor and make the sweetest most passionate love to her. He breathed out a great sigh of relief.

Before they knew it, the dark form of Harry appeared at Lucius' cell door and he whispered urgently into the dark space where the lovers huddled on the ground. Harry couldn't help but find the sight of the great and powerful Lucius Malfoy, huddled on the ground, holding onto someone for dear life out of love and passion, the oddest of sights.

"Aria we must go. We have two minutes until the guards will be back."

Aria nodded and turned quickly back to Lucius and kissed him fiercely, as she made her way to get up off the ground. Lucius held on to her as long as possible, their hands still grasping each other's tightly, while the rest of her body was already outside of the cell door.

"Tomorrow my love; just hold on a few more hours until tomorrow," she said to him with a comforting smile on her face.

Lucius' heart instantly lightened. "Tomorrow," he repeated with love and happiness. He finally released his grip on her hand. Just before the door to his cell closed, he quickly spoke. "Potter!"

Harry almost closed the door, but then opened it slightly, his head looking into the dark space. "Yes?"

"Thank you…thank you so much," said Lucius, with the most sincerity he had ever uttered to Harry.

Harry nodded in acknowledgement. "Love is everything," he said profoundly before closing the door to the cell.


	22. Chapter 22- The Trial

It was the next morning, and it was to be the day of Lucius' trial. Aria had slept at her flat for the first time in a very long time the night before; although the Manor was there waiting for her, she couldn't face the Manor without her love by her side. It would be a great homecoming for them to arrive back to the Manor together and complete yet again. She would wait until he was free.

She wanted to look her absolute best and professional for the day and so she dressed in her finest pair of silk black trousers, paired with an equally as impressive silk black blazer over an emerald green satin top; she paired it with the gorgeous green pearl bracelet that Lucius and the Slytherin's had given her back at Hogwarts. She appraised herself in the mirror and felt confident, something she greatly needed today. She knew Harry was going to call her as a witness during the trial, even though the rest of the Ministry judges and officials didn't know that yet. She was going to be the surprise that would turn the trial's favor towards Lucius. She smiled knowing she would be there to help save him, just as he was always there to save her. He had given her so much and now she would help get him his life and freedom back, something he so greatly deserved.

Aria grabbed her bag and headed out of her flat and into the bright, crisp morning. She had opted to walk to work today instead of taking Floo Powder or apparating. The November air was quite cold and brisk, but Aria drew in deep, calming breaths; the chill of the air keeping her mind and body alert and energized. She was quite nervous, and her heart was in a constant state of rapid beating, but the beautiful walk by St. James Park did her some good and soon she found herself at the telephone booths that would take her down to the Ministry.

As the telephone booth took her down into the atrium of the Ministry, the sense of calm she had obtained during her walk over instantly disappeared and she was nothing but a ball of nerves. She knew she couldn't go to her desk and work until she was summoned, so she decided to take the lifts down directly to the Ministry courtrooms. She knew Lucius' trial wasn't going to start until 9:30 in the morning, and it was currently just about the top of the hour. As she waited, she decided to hide herself around one of the corners from the main courtroom the trial was to be held in. Slowly she saw many important witches and wizards pour into the room including the Minister for Magic himself.

She began pacing back and forth, as she constantly kept looking around the corner to see when Lucius would be taken into the room. She saw Hermione and Harry arrive together, and she poked her head around the corner so that Harry could briefly catch her eye. Luckily, he saw her right as she turned back around to hide behind the corner, and he quickly made his way over to where she was.

"Morning Aria," he said with a light smile on his face.

"Morning," she replied back, her voice sounding light and short of breath.

Harry picked up on her nervousness and tried to calm her down. "It'll be okay Aria. Just wait here until you are summoned in. A guard will come out and get you to bring you in. I will be the one asking you the questions, so there is no need to be nervous. You know I am doing everything I can to help you. It'll be okay."

"Thanks Harry!" she said as she quickly hugged him tight and then let him go so that he could join the rest of his colleagues in the courtroom.

She continued to pace more and more behind the corner she was keeping a low profile in, when she briefly saw Narcissa and Draco make their way up to the courtroom door. An instant feeling of rage boiled in her and she so wished she could hex them right then and there. Her hand instinctually went to grab her wand, but she managed to control her rage and she leaned back up against the cool stone wall and slid down so that she was seated on the floor. She just couldn't believe Narcissa and Draco had the indecency to come to Lucius' trial this morning; after everything they already put him through; it actually didn't surprise her though. She was sure they were full of nothing but smugness at the moment, thinking that they would watch him be hauled away, back to Azkaban. Well Aria couldn't wait to prove them wrong, and she would revel in the feeling to see their faces when they realized he would be going free.

Finally, at around 9:28 in the morning Aria heard more footsteps coming down the hallway towards the door to the courtroom. She slowly stood to her feet and peaked her head around the corner, and nearly ran out from her hiding spot when she saw Lucius and two guards making their way towards the door. It hurt her heart to see Lucius' hands magically tied together in front of him; his iconic cane with his wand in it was held by one of the guards leading him in and the other guard had his own wand trained on Lucius; the guard must have been using some charm or spell to make sure that Lucius wouldn't run or do anything dangerous. Although Aria was hidden from view from anyone coming down the hallway, as she peaked around the corner, she saw Lucius' eyes instinctually dart over to where her hiding place was. Could he sense her there? An extremely small smile appeared on his lips and gave Aria her answer. Her heart soared at the knowledge that he knew she was there. He could sense her.

* * *

As for Lucius himself, as he walked up to the doors of the courtroom, he felt his stomach curdling into a bundle of nerves, not for himself, but for Aria. All he cared about was her safety and her emotions in that moment. Today would be a huge day for them; for their relationship. Soon everyone would know of their connection and love. Lucius felt a sense of relief that it would finally be out in the open and they could be free to express their love anywhere, but he knew that Aria would soon be the source of much gossip, newspaper articles, intrigue and fame.

Of course, he would never show these nerves and emotions outwardly, and his arrogant aloofness was in full force. Right before he entered the courtroom, he felt her presence; his Aria. He didn't know how he knew, but he just knew she was there already. He felt her there, as she hid from view, and his own magic was reaching out towards her like a magnet. He briefly smiled to himself before the guards rudely shoved him into the courtroom and closed the doors behind him.

* * *

Aria knew the trial had started, as the hallway was now devoid of people. The stillness and the quiet of her surroundings unnerved her. She began pacing again, but this time in front of the courtroom door, waiting for when the guard would come out and get her and call her as witness. Her breath was rapid, and she was beginning to sweat a little bit. She felt like she desperately needed some air and she was worried she would go into a state of panic; but as she thought about it to herself, she knew it wasn't air or nerves she needed; it was Lucius, and she was about to get him back. Right as she thought this, the door to the courtroom opened, nearly banging Aria on the head as she was still pacing back and forth. She jumped a little bit which caused the guard to flinch.

"Ah sorry Sir," said Aria with a charming smile on her face. "Just a bit nervous."

The guard, clearly charmed by her politeness and beauty, smiled at her briefly, "It's alright Miss. You have been requested as a witness. Are you ready to come in? If so, follow me," he said as he opened the door wider for her to let her in.

Aria swallowed hard and made her way into the courtroom. The room was completely silent. Clearly no one had been expecting a witness, and as Aria looked around the circular room, she saw everyone was on the edge of their seats. There were several reporters, one of whom she knew as the notorious reporter, Rita Skeeter. They all looked at her as she entered the room as if she was some unearthly, Alien-like creature. She was a new-comer and had managed to remain fairly under-the-radar in terms of the larger British Wizarding World during her few months there, and she knew that all of the reporters who constantly wrote newspaper articles on Lucius' public and private life, were wondering who this new girl associated with him was.

She could hear every click and clack of her heels as she walked down the center of the walkway towards the middle of the room to where Lucius was sitting in a solitary chair in the center. All of the witches and wizards in the Ministry who were involved, the reporters and of course Draco and Narcissa, looked down on her from above, all with faces ranging from disdain, to stoicness to expectedness; they all completely unnerved her. However, when she looked to her right at her lover, who looked back at her lovingly, a wave of comfort washed over her and she knew instantly that she would be able to get through this, for both of them.

Harry Potter stood up from where he sat high above them and began speaking; asking her questions. He was very formal, but she could tell he was being calm and gentle in his demeanor to calm her. She was so lucky to have him on her side, and she knew he would phrase his questions so that it would be beneficial to herself and to Lucius.

"Miss De La Cour, the Ministry would like to ask you a few questions, as it pertains to the charges against Mr. Lucius Malfoy. Are you willing to answer these questions with nothing but the truth? If so, please raise your wand in your right hand and say the incantation, _Veritasemper,_ " said Harry formally.

"Yes sir, I am willing," replied Aria, who then raised up her wand in her right hand an incanted loudly and clearly into the chamber, "Veritasemper!"

"Thank you. Now Miss De La Cour, can you please recount for us the night of September the 6th and your interactions with Paulo Santos, one of the other new Ministry Ambassadors in your program."

Aria swallowed hard again, the part she had been dreading the most was now upon her, and although she knew it would be one of the first things she had to talk about, she still had a sense of shame and embarrassment talking about it.

"Yes…um…. well… that night I had been walking home after a brief get together with some friends down at the pub. As I was about to get to my flat, I heard someone behind me, and it was Paulo Santos. He had been following me and then he…." Aria swallowed back the nerves and tears threatening to spill over. She looked briefly down at Lucius who was looking up at her with such fierce, grey eyes filled with love and passion and adoration for her. She felt a surge of relief wash through her and she continued. "Well he then proceeded to drag me to the side of the building and attempted to rape me." At that point Aria could hear an intake of breath in the room. Several of the reporters were writing furiously on their notepads, some taking photos, while mostly everyone else in the room looked on waiting to hear the rest.

Aria continued, "I tried to resist and get away…I could smell heavy alcohol on his breath. He had drunk the most out of all of us, as the rest of us only had one drink that night. I was completely sober, and I could feel his hands over me…he…he managed to grope and molest my breasts…and then when I tried to resist some more he slapped and punched me…and then he even choked me…." Aria said as her hands instinctively went up to her throat as if to protect her neck from an invisible force. She looked back down at Lucius, who had his head bowed, but she could see anger written all over his features. His eyes were closed in the pain of the memory, as he listened to her recount what happened before he had arrived to save her.

Many of the Ministry officials were now looking at each other with concern, as they listened to the young witch's story. Harry then spoke to Aria as gently and calmly as before.

"And then what happened next Miss De La Cour?" he said with an encouraging nod of his head and kind smile.

"Well the next thing I remember is being saved. Being saved by this man here to my right, Lucius Malfoy. Without him, so much worse would have happened to me, he saved me in so many senses of the word. He saved me from being beaten even worse than I was…and he saved my…my innocence from being taken from me that horrible night. He made sure I was safe and back in my own apartment. I owe him everything that night."

Harry nodded and continued, "And how did Mr. Malfoy know that you needed help?"

"He just knew…"Aria began, not sure how she would explain to this room full of 'normal' witches and wizards about their extremely rare and special connection.

"From what he told me, one minute he was in his home minding his own business and then the next he had a feeling…he somehow knew I was in danger and he knew exactly where to find me to save me," smiled Aria.

The crowd whispered and murmured again to each other as they heard her story. Her eyes fell on Narcissa who glared at her through pale blue eyes of hatred.

Harry continued but this time he focused his attentions on Lucius, who had yet to say anything aloud while Aria was in the room. She had assumed before she was allowed in, he had taken full responsibility for his actions, without ever really telling the Ministry officials why he had done what he did.

"Mr. Malfoy, your claims before made us to believe that you acted out against Paolo Santos for no reason at all. Miss De La Cour's testimony of that night now leads us to believe that there was indeed a reason…do you deny her recounting of that night?"

"No, I do not," said Lucius plainly.

"So why didn't you tell the Ministry before? You had us lead to believe that you acted against Paulo out of pure bad form and malice."

"I wanted to protect Aria. Save her from all of the pain that night had caused her. I wanted to take that pain upon myself and rid her of it," he said fiercely. "At the same time, I wanted to make Paulo suffer for hurting her. Make him ever forget he had even seen her. He didn't deserve to even know her let alone remember her."

"And why is that?" asked Harry.

Aria knew in that moment this was it. No turning back now.

Lucius breathed in a big breath before he spoke, as if ready to address the entire population of Earth. The most genuine smile appeared on his face then, and as Aria looked lovingly at him and then turned her eyes towards the crowd of officials above, she saw all of them stare in disbelief clearly never seeing the sight of a smile on Lucius Malfoy's face before.

"Because I love her with all of my heart and soul. This woman next to me," he said as he looked up at her from where he sat, "this woman here standing before you is my reason for existing. From the moment I first met her, from the moment I felt her in trouble that fateful night I knew then that what we shared was beyond anything I had ever known…and what we have is more than any of you will ever know. It's been prophesized."

Aria had tears in her eyes as she looked on at the man she adored, declaring his love for her in front of all of these important people of the Wizarding World. Their love was finally revealed, and she instantly felt the weight of their secret lift off of her shoulders. She was so proud to be his in that moment, she had never loved him more.

The crowd was simply buzzing by this point. Harry had a smile on his face, as he knew this was the moment the trial would turn in Lucius' favor. All of the reporters wrote furiously, and there was the brightest glint in Rita Skeeter's eyes, as if she had just won the story jackpot of the century. Narcissa looked as if steam was practically pouring out of her ears; Draco simply was looking down at his feet. She then saw the Minister for Magic stand up from where he sat, his facial expression was pure shock, he raised up his hand to silence the room, to which everyone immediately complied.

"Mr. Malfoy, you said prophesized? What do you mean by this? Did you gain access to the Hall of Prophesies?"

"No Minister. There is a book at my ancestral Manor. In a section of the library I never thought or had the desire to look in before. The section on love. When touched by our hands the book revealed to us the truth of our feelings. The book showed an ancient image of two lovers and script in Latin. The image was of us, I know it to be true." Lucius then proceeded to recite the ancient text from the book in Latin and then translated it to English. After he finished Aria cut back into the conversation.

"There's more," she said, knowing she was about to reveal that she had snuck into the Chamber of Love in the Department of Mysteries and broken probably dozens of rules. She would leave out the bit about James. She didn't want to get him into any trouble; she had caused enough for him as it was. However, she needed to prove to the Ministry the extent of their love; she had to try everything in her power to make sure Lucius got off free.

"I snuck down to the Department of Mysteries, as I was looking for more answers about us," she began. "I don't know how, but I was granted access to the Chamber of Love…the door pulled me in like a magnet and just opened for me…" she was immediately cut off by the Minister for Magic's blubbering and stuttering. He was clearly dumbfounded and shocked, as well as the whole room. Everyone seemed to be staring at her now as if she was some form of deity.

"The door opened for you?! No one has been able to get into that room in decades…centuries!" spluttered the Minister.

"Yes Sir, I know, but the door simply opened for me. What I experienced in that Chamber was life changing. It showed me more than I could have ever imagined about our love."

Aria then explained to the room what she had told Harry and Hermione. How the potion had shown her the truth of their love. About the revelation that her and Lucius were both Veelas. That their Veela blood that coursed through their veins combined with their strong connection meant that they were soulmates throughout time. How their love was so rare that they were considered to be the only soulmates who would find each other in many different lifetimes. She also explained the examples, without private details or course, of when their power grew, and their hair and skin glowed brightly to further prove her point. When she was done, the room was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

The Minister for Magic looked at Aria and Lucius as if he himself was seeing a revelation of the Universe. "I know that myth…about the first soulmates of the world…but that's what I thought it was…simply a myth…"

"I thought so too Sir, but I can tell you now for certain that it's not a myth. See?" Without thinking Aria pulled back out her wand and pointed it at her chest, the crowd gasped, not sure what she was doing, but Lucius knew, and he smiled up at her.

"Lumos Interius," she said, as the spell instantly made the center of her chest glow brightly. She pointed the wand at Lucius' chest and uttered the same spell. The same spell they had used that glorious night at the Standing Stones in Scotland. His chest now glowed brightly too, but then she slowly kneeled in front of him where he sat in the chair and clasped his tied-up hands in her own rubbing her thumbs over the back of his hands. She then leaned in and kissed him tenderly and passionately.

The Minister for Magic was too entranced to put a stop to this show and tell and so he simply watched in amazement as Aria's kiss caused the glow in each of their chests to expand and pulsate out to cover each of their bodies and their hair in glowing white light. More gasps of shock, delight and awe echoed throughout the room as the magic Aria had cast showed the onlookers of their true connection.

After a bit and after Aria had stood back up to stand again, Harry Potter spoke back up again.

"Thank you for being so open and honest with us Miss De La Cour," he said kindly. "What you have showed us today is something rare and something that our community should be honored to have seen in their lifetime. Not only is your connection you speak of one of our greatest myths and legends now proven to be true, but you have also shown us today what pure love looks like. It is always special when true love shows what it can do; I know that firsthand," the other witches and wizards around Harry nodded to themselves as they remembered the heroic wizard's famous parents, who sacrificed themselves for him.

"And while we have experienced true love in different ways, yours and Lucius' love is just as legitimate," continued Harry. "Knowing that you two are the Veela soulmates throughout time, who will always try to find each other in every life, is inspiring and powerful to say the least. Therefore, I would ask the Ministry officials to see that what Lucius did, he did out of love, a love he could never resist or try and go against. In my mind he acted just as he should have; out of fierce loyalty and protection. And while he should have let the Ministry taken Paulo into their own hands instead of inflicting justice himself, I do not think he should be sent to Azkaban simply for acting out of the true love his soul felt for the woman next to him."

Aria smiled and happy tears ran down her face at Harry's noble speech. Even Lucius himself had tears beginning to fill his eyes, as he realized the young man he had once hated and detested, was now the one who was sticking up for him. Lucius knew Harry must have been able to truly see the pure soul connection between himself and Aria, and that their love was strong enough to show people that they deserved to be together.

What happened next was amazing. Hermione stood up then, smiled down at Aria, and stated loudly and clearly into the room, "I agree with Harry."

Then every few seconds another Ministry Official Witch or Wizard would also stand up and would state that they agreed with Harry. Finally, mostly every official was standing in support of Lucius being set free. Only a few wizards remain seated, including of course Narcissa and Draco, although they weren't the ones making the final judgement anyways. The Minister for Magic looked around the room in awe and then back at the couple below him, who were both still slightly glowing from the magic of the spell Aria had cast.

"I can see the true connection you two have and it is something rather special to behold. I must admit, I never thought of Lucius Malfoy himself being capable of this type of love and connection with anyone, but as you two have shown, it has been written in the stars for you two throughout the centuries and I am honored to have witnessed such a momentous occasion in the Wizarding World. And yes, while I agree with Harry on his point that what Lucius did, he did out of love and protection, I also agree with Harry on his other point that he should have used a simple stunning spell on Paulo and let us handle the rest of his punishment. Therefore…" the Minister paused a beat as he took in a deep breath, ready to give his final verdict.

Everyone in the room was holding their breath. Aria, Lucius, the press reporters who were so enthralled with the turn of events, it looked like some of their heads would explode in anticipation, all of their quills were at the ready.

"Therefore," continued the Minister, "Lucius Malfoy will be set free and will not be sent to Azkaban Prison."

The whole room seemed to explode with emotion at once, as everyone started buzzing and talking and standing up. Narcissa was practically screaming with rage at the unfairness of it, clearly horribly petrified that her evil plan didn't go off as hoped. When the Minister declared Lucius free, his hands were immediately unbound and he stood up and immediately went over to Aria, picked her up in his arms and twirled her around as he kissed her hard and long in front of the whole room. He could taste her tears of happiness on her lips.

"EVERYONE PLEASE QUIET!" the Minister bellowed trying to get everyone's attention back on him. He wasn't finished with his verdict. "But…Mr. Malfoy must be punished, and therefore I am immediately terminating his position at the Ministry of Magic, effective immediately."

"But Minister!" Aria began to protest, until she heard Lucius to her other side say "Shhh my love, it's okay."

She looked over at him concerned, but he seemed completely content and at ease. He then said so quietly only she could here him, "I never liked working here anyways…until I met you of course. I was only working here in the years after the War to make my way back into peoples' good graces and to take my mind off my misery. Besides, you know I have plenty of other business dealings and philanthropies. If this is the worst of my punishment, we should be thankful and blessed."

Aria nodded her head in acceptance. If Lucius was fine, then so was she.

When the Minister saw that Aria and Lucius had nothing more to say, he excused the court.

"This session, the case against Lucius Malfoy, is now over and complete. The members of the Ministry may now take their leave, as well as the press and any others," said the Minister. He then turned one more time to Lucius. "Mr. Malfoy, may I suggest you go live out the rest of your life in happiness and peace," he said with a smirk.

Lucius Malfoy smirked back, but then instantly turned back to Aria, picked her up again and spun her around a few times. She had never seen him so giddy and happy, and she loved it so much. They both laughed together, their happiness radiating around them again, as their bodies still glowed with the magic and their love. As Lucius spun Aria around, she caught a few times Narcissa's face in the stands. Her pale blue eyes pierced into Aria's soul, like a molten hot poker, until the older woman decided to get up and storm out of the courtroom. It appeared Draco had left a bit before, leaving his mother on her own. Aria wondered if Draco had left out of guilt and remorse or simply lost interest when he realized his plan to send his father off to Azkaban wasn't going to pan out anymore. Aria thought all of this in only a few seconds however, because her mind was mainly focused on how happy and relieved, she was that her Lucius was free!

When Lucius had finally put her down, he put his hands on either side of her face and wiped away her happy tears with the pads of his thumbs.

"Shall we go home?" he asked, his beautiful grey eyes pouring into her soul.

"Yes, home." She said

He held her in close to his body and apparated them immediately back to _their_ Manor.

* * *

Lucius had apparated them back to the Manor steadily but had only managed to land them outside the front gates. He was clearly exhausted, and his powers and magic had been bound while he was in the prison for a night, and so his magic was weaker than normal. Being such a powerful and pure-blooded Wizard however, he knew he would get his strength and powers back after a good night's rest. But he had to reunite physically with his love first.

"I'm sorry my love, I only had the strength to get us to the gates and not actually inside…" he said slightly ashamed.

Aria would hear none of it and reassured him as she grabbed his hand strongly. "My love don't worry. You have had a very long two days….I don't mind walking a bit either and getting some fresh air.."

And so, the luminous couple walked the long walk up the drive to the Manor, breathing in the fresh countryside air and smiling at their newfound freedom, not only the freedom of Lucius not going to Azkaban but of their love finally being known to everyone. They no longer had to hide.

"I've made a decision Lucius, I mean if you'll have me of course…but I am moving out of my flat officially. I want to live here with you, and be together always," she said as she looked over at her lover, the fading sunlight shining off of his platinum hair.

He looked back at her and his face lit up with so much happiness, "Of course I'll have you! I have been wanting this from the moment I met you. There have been so many times, even early on, I just wanted to make you get rid of your flat and move in with me. I want you always by my side."

Aria smiled in pleasure. "Of course, you must put the deed to the Manor back in your name. I know you only put my name on it when you thought you would be leaving me forever, but I want you to take it back now that you are home- "

"Shhhhh," Lucius said as he put his finger up to her lips to quiet her. "We can discuss this all tomorrow but for now, I just want you…to be reunited with you…" he said, his voice turning husky and alluring.

They had reached the large front doors, and they immediately opened at Lucius touch, as if welcoming him back home. The couple's gazes of each other never faltered and they had barely made it inside before they started going at each other like their lives depended on it. Lucius had been tired before, but the instant their lips met, and they were back in the comfort of the Manor, he had a renewed energy like never before. They were still only in the grand entry way in front of the grand staircase but between heavy kisses, they began ripping each other's clothes off. They wouldn't make it to the bedroom, there was no stopping their passion now.

Lucius lips seemed to find every inch of Aria's body that evening. Each piece of clothing he ripped off of her, he would feast upon her exposed flesh, kissing every part of her over and over. Her skin rippled with gooseflesh at the feeling of his heavy breath and soft lips over her naked skin. Glowing gold light from the setting sun poured into the grand entry way from the high up windows near the ceiling and bathed the naked lovers in a magical light that made their skin and hair gleam brightly.

Lucius' cock was standing to attention; he had been thinking about nothing but Aria and moments like these the past day and a half, as he had truly thought he would never have her like this again. Aria herself was just as ready, already wet with anticipation. She needed the reassurance that Lucius really was back at the Manor with her and that it wasn't a dream.

And so Lucius lowered them both to the ground, luckily a large rug graced the floor of the entry way, so that they wouldn't have to lay on cold marble.

"I need you now Aria," he said as he hovered over her and looked into her soul.

"Yes, I need you now too Lucius," she said as she reached her left hand up to grasp the back of his neck, her fingers intertwining in his long blond hair. "Make me know that you are here with me now and that you are real."

Without saying another word, Lucius slowly entered her. They both moaned loudly into the grand entry way, their moans echoing off of the large space they occupied. He moved within her so slowly, she could feel every inch of him. His length never seemed to end, but finally he was all the way in her, and she felt as if she was truly complete. He was the perfect and only key that fit. They were made for each other.

He slid slowly out, just as slowly as he went in, until the head of his cock was all that was left inside of her and just as she was about to moan at the feeling of his absence, he plunged back in, this time more firmly and powerfully. Her mouth opened in a silent scream of pleasure and their eyes remain locked, not once blinking.

Lucius kept up this pace a while, their eyes still locked, but then he began to lean his head forward so he could kiss her neck, her breasts, everywhere he could reach as he slid in and out of her, more powerfully each time, causing her to mewl and moan in bliss. He then kissed the spot between her neck and her ear, and he began whispering into her ear in a husky voice all that he felt for her.

"You are everything to me. Do you even comprehend how much you mean to me? You are my savior, my goddess my sun," he said as he began pounding more quickly into her. She began moaning louder as his romantic words caused a more intense tingling to begin forming in her center. Her inside walls began to clench around him. He continued, "I live only for you and I will give you everything that I am."

"Lucius," she breathed out in a shaky voice as her pussy began feeling more and more tight around him. She was close.

"Yes, my love…it is all for you. There is no me without you now,"

"Lucius," she said again, but louder, and he knew she was going to come any moment.

"Yes, Aria. Come for me. It gives me so much life. Come for me now," he demanded.

Of course, Aria loved when Lucius' demanding and dominating side came out during their love making and so with one last thrust from his large member, she exploded in bliss all over him. She screamed out into the room, chanting "Yes" and "Dear God" over and over again. It was one of her most intense orgasms ever. From being so worried about him and thinking she would never know this feeling again, her mind became fuzzy at the pleasure she now felt.

"Good girl," he moaned into her ear as he began pounding faster and faster now. He was going so fast it almost felt inhuman, and she knew that he had desperately needed this. To reclaim her body as his, and to feel their connection as one again. Aria's orgasm still raged through her and seemed to never end, as his glorious pounding brought her even more pleasure. But she knew he wanted to and needed to come now.

"Now I need you to come for me my love. Please. I need you to so badly," she whispered back into his ear. She knew her words would drive him over the edge. "Come for me my love…come."

His moaning became more and more loud and his breath more and more hitched and finally with a deep scream out into the room of power and triumph he poured his shot into her, warm and comforting, and Aria practically came again at the feeling of being so full.

After a time, he rolled off of her and to the side and just laid there in bliss as he closed his eyes. Aria looked over at her love and could see that his bout of energy was spent, and his exhaustion was back. They would eventually have to get up and go into an actual bed, but for now neither of them could muster the energy to move; nor did they want to.

"Welcome home my love," she said as she rolled over to her side and smiled up at him.

He looked at her with such adoration and replied back, "Our home. Forever."


	23. Chapter 23- New Beginnings

**Please review! Don't forget my Pinterest page which has photos for each chapter. :) I am VersaillesPixie on Pinterest.**

**OH yes and did I mention, please review!?**

* * *

At some point, Lucius had eventually gotten up the strength to bring his exhausted and spent body into a standing position and help Aria up off of the ground as well. With their clothes scattered about, neither of them bothered to pick them up and both made their way up the grand staircase and found their way to their haven; Lucius' bedroom. After Lucius tucked them both into bed, they quickly fell into the most contented and blissful sleep either had had in a long while.

Both of them had a dreamless and peaceful sleep and Lucius awoke the next morning to the feeling of Aria's warm, soft body pressing up against his as she snuggled up to him closely, craving the feeling of his entire body.

Lucius found himself saying a silent prayer of thanks as he whispered out his thankfulness for the woman by his side. Lucius was never a religious man, most of the pureblood wizards didn't worship any higher deity other than themselves or in the past, The Dark Lord, but now he couldn't help but send out his thankfulness to whatever higher power was listening.

"What did you say my love?" Aria asked in a husky voice as she began coming more out of her sleepy state.

"I am just sending out a prayer of thankfulness for you is all…" He said as he smiled above her and held her more tightly against him.

"I still can't believe after everything, after being so scared, I have you back," smiled Aria as her eyes brimmed with tears of happiness.

"I will never leave you again, I promise," he replied back, just as happy as her. "And now today, we have much to do. Much to talk about."

* * *

Aria and Lucius put on their silk robes and made their way downstairs to the grand dining room for breakfast. Waiting for them on the table was not only a deliciously prepared breakfast but also a series of newspapers, the main one being the Daily Prophet, featuring themselves on the front page cover with various titles good and bad, such as, _True Loves Saves A Malfoy, Lucius' New Lady Redeems Him, Lucius Malfoy Escapes Azkaban Yet Again, Can A Malfoy Really Love?_

Lucius seemed to be unperturbed about being on the cover of so many different publications. As for Aria however, her stomach turned and her appetite suddenly disappeared altogether. She sank down slowly into her chair next to Lucius and nervously picked up the Daily Prophet. Luckily the main page article about the trial and the two of them was mainly fact based without any sort of emotion, as it went over each moment of the trial and what had transpired. But then her eyes fell on Rita Skeeter's column about the whole issue, and Aria was pleasantly surprised to see Rita write positively about their relationship and their love. Of course, she barely focused on the actual trial itself and instead focused on the two of them, their relationship clearly being of way more gossip and intrigue than the actual trial and laws broken. One paragraph stood out to Aria and she couldn't help but smile:

" _The most miraculous sight to behold; that of Lucius Malfoy smiling. All because of this mystery woman next to him. If anyone can get Lucius Malfoy himself to smile, then it must mean only one thing; true love. Because of this young woman, much younger than Lucius himself I should note, Malfoy has evaded a life-sentence at Azkaban. The two love birds proved rather effectively that their love was a powerful force to be reckoned with. The two even made the bold claim that they are the mythological Veela couple of ancient texts, that are soul mates throughout different lifetimes. And whilst some may find that hard to believe, if Lucius Malfoy can smile and fall in love with anyone other than himself, than perhaps their claims are true after all!"_

"Wow…" said Aria as she put the article down on the table in front of her and slightly laughed. "Rita Skeeter was actually kind about us!"

"Hmmpphh," muttered Lucius as his eyes raked over the many headlines and newspapers in front of him. He closed his eyes and sighed out as his fingers came to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. "You see my love?" he said as he motioned over the stacks of papers scattered around them, "This is what I wanted to protect you from. I'm used to being written and gossiped about, but it hurts me to see you dragged into it."

Aria scooted her chair closer to Lucius and took his hands into hers. "If this is the price I have to pay for being able to have you back in my life forever, then so be it. I would do it one hundred times over again," she said as she looked up into his eyes with her kind and loving green ones.

Lucius looked down at her with love in his eyes and brought his right hand up to her face to cup it tenderly as he then brought his head in to press a gentle kiss to her lips.

The two sat in silence, both not eating much and mostly just sticking to their hot coffees. Aria continued to glance at some of the articles. Most of the articles were skeptical of their love and how intense they had claimed it to be. While most of the journalists agreed that they outwardly looked like Veelas, most of them just couldn't comprehend that their love was incredibly special and rare, mainly due to Lucius' past, which many of the journalists couldn't seem to get over.

At one point, Aria saw Lucius crumple up a particular article and throw it into the grand fireplace and glare at the paper as if it had bitten him. Aria saw briefly, before the flames consumed the pages, that it was a piece focused on Narcissa and Draco. The photo of Narcissa that the newspaper had was of her looking incredibly upset, her eyes narrowed into slits. She saw then a quote from Narcissa in bold font reading, **"My husband Lucius Malfoy is anything but innocent; the Ministry made a grave mistake today, something I will see gets corrected."**

Aria grimaced in disgust at the thought of the horrid woman. Lucius too looked just as disgusted.

"Jealous, hateful woman…" Lucius muttered under his breath. Aria reached out to grab his hand in hers again. "Which reminds me, I plan on going through all of Narcissa and Draco's old things that they have here and getting rid of it all. I want no trace of them left here…"

Aria quite agreed about Narcissa's things, however she knew Lucius was still greatly hurt by Draco's betrayal, but it would be hard for him to erase Draco from the Manor completely.

"Are you sure Lucius? Maybe you can put Draco's things in storage? Do you have an attic in the Manor? A spare room?"

"We do have an attic…" pondered Lucius. "Haven't been up there in ages. However, Draco still has his old room here, and it's filled with his things. I have always left it be for him, should he ever want anything, but now I think it is time he moves on… _I need to move on too."_

Aria understood, although she knew it would be painful for Lucius to have to go through his son's and his wife's old things. Aria herself hadn't even been to that part of the Manor before. She felt like she still had so much more exploring to do, something which greatly excited her. Lucius and she had always really stuck to their favorite rooms such as the library and his own room, she sometimes forgot there was still so much more left to the Manor for her to see.

"I'll help you love. It'll give me an excuse to explore more of the Manor.

Lucius smiled back at her and kissed her again. "I would appreciate the help of course. And yes, there is still so much more you have yet to see of this place. I want you to know it inside and out as it is to be yours."

"W-What?" Aria said in shock. She knew she was officially moving in, but after his release from the Ministry she fully expected him to put himself back as owner on the papers and deeds to the Manor. "But Lucius, I can't. You are back now. There is no need."

"Don't worry, I am adding myself back…" he began. "But I am keeping you on the deed. As an equal." He smirked back at her; he was quite pleased with himself indeed.

Aria beamed in delight and got up from her chair and proceeded to sit in his lap, as she wrapped her arms tight around his shoulders and kissed him deeply.

"Thank you," she whispered tenderly as she put her forehead against his.

"It gives me the greatest pleasure," he purred into her ear. "You are my Queen and this is your Castle," Aria got chills as his voice rang deep and comforting in her ear, and his lips and teeth then proceeded to plant kisses and nibbles on the tender spot between her ear and neck.

His love nips never ceased it felt like, and the feeling had her writhing in pleasure on his lap, and through her slight movements, her robe had fallen off her shoulders to expose the bare flesh of her upper body to him, her breasts pert, expectant and in need of more.

"Mmm and you are my King," she moaned out her delayed response in pleasure.

Lucius smirked again as he continued sucking and kissing her neck. He had looked down at her body briefly and noticed her exposed breasts and so he supported her with his right hand, as his left came up to cup and knead her right breast, and then her left. He massaged and rubbed each with equal fervor, while occasionally tweaking and pinching her nipples briefly, but firmly, causing her to gasp out each time.

"My appetite has returned it seems…and I must enjoy my breakfast now…" he whispered into her ear.

For a split second, Aria was surprised he would want to stop his ministrations and go back to try and eat breakfast, but when she looked up into his eyes and saw the devilish glint of passion in the grey depths, and his iconic and haughty smirk she knew immediately what he meant by "breakfast."

And with that, Lucius lifted Aria up by her waist and planted her firmly on the edge of the table from where he sat. With a wave of his hand, the uneaten food on the table and the many newspaper articles about the two of them vanished, completely forgotten. Aria adored when he used wandless and wordless magic, as it reminded her of how powerful of a wizard he truly was; and she was glad to see his strength and magic had returned in full force.

Lucius sank to his knees so that his face was in alignment with where she sat on the edge of the table. His hands briefly came up to untie the robe from the remaining bits of her body that were still covered, as the silk fluttered down to the floor. Lucius took in her naked form above him, his eyes raking over her gorgeous body and landing at her center. His tongue briefly came out to wet his lips in anticipation, and without taking his eyes off of his prize, he leaned his head in and planted his warm tongue on her sensitive clit. He hadn't even moved his tongue yet, just rested it firmly on the spot, and it already caused her body to twitch and writhe in pleasure. Lucius reveled in how amazing she tasted; better than before, which he didn't even know was possible. He moaned in pleasure at the taste, which caused vibrations to be felt on her most sensitive area.

Aria bucked her hips up, craving more, and Lucius could only comply, and so he went down on her as he never had before. Lapping her up, taking in every part of her. His tongue would start all the way at the lower part of her core and slide all the way up, back up to her clit, where he would circle his tongue around a few times before doing the same motion again and again. Down and up and around; down and up and around with his tongue. His grey eyes would occasionally open and look up at her, as his tongue continued its motions, and Aria would look back at him, her brow furrowed in that expression she had that he adored so much; their gaze never breaking. It aroused Aria more than she could fathom. His consistent and never changing motion was driving her closer and closer to a glorious orgasm, but not before he suddenly slipped two of his long fingers up into her. Never changing the pace and motion of his tongue, his fingers slid slowly but powerfully in and out, as his tongue continued going down, up and around her clit.

Finally, Aria could no longer take the pleasure building up inside of her; she reached one of her hands down to rest on the back of Lucius' head where she clawed her hands in his silky, blond hair and brought him in even closer as she came all over his fingers and his mouth as she screamed out into the room. Lucius moaned against her as she came, and he could feel her juices leak out onto his fingers and hand. She was so gorgeous and tender in that moment and it brought Lucius so much pleasure to know that he had brought her that amount of pleasure as well.

Aria laughed to herself in giddy pleasure as she laid back on the table, completely in awe of the amount of pleasure she just felt. Lucius stood up proudly at his work, he walked over to stand over Aria's face and leaned in and kissed her gently. She tasted herself on his lips and it was insanely erotic. She always loved how he refused to wipe her off of his lips after each time he went down on her. She loved how much he loved her. Their love was an endless circle.

Lucius in that moment let her know that her pleasure was enough for him and that they would have plenty of time to mutually pleasure each other later. However now he wanted to get some important paperwork done and so he reached out to her to help her up off of the table and after she picked up her robe and put it back on, he led her to the library where the one desk held all of his important papers. It took him very quickly to amend the deed to the Manor. In the span of a few days it had passed from him as the sole heir, to Aria, and now, this new morning the document read Lucius Malfoy _and_ Aria De La Cour. With a tap of his wand, the deed was magically signed and sealed and official, and he smiled to himself in content. His will he had changed before he got arrested, in which he left everything he owned and his net-worth to Aria, remained unchanged. Something Aria still really couldn't believe; however, it was one of the ways he was expressing his love for her.

* * *

Over the next few days Lucius and Aria began the daunting task of not only moving her out of her small London flat, but also getting rid of Narcissa's and Draco's remaining items. Aria's flat had been easy to move out of. She never really had that much to begin with, and she easily was able to move all of her clothes into Lucius' room and all of the rest of her favorite items she would store in her favorite room where she stored her Masquerade dress and her Samhain Ball dress. The amazing Sevres vase with the roses Lucius had gotten her weeks ago also came with her and now sat in her favorite room as well; forever preserved.

As for Draco and Naricssa, they had mainly lived in a whole separate wing of the house, something Aria noted immediately, and they were so far away from all of Lucius' favorite and most used rooms, she could imagine that at times it might have felt like the family never saw each other. Draco had the majority of items, though, it looked as if his childhood room had barely been touched. He still had his Slytherin House pride school drawings and banners as well as his favorite Quidditch team posters. His room looked like a typical teenage boys' room and it made Aria's heart slightly hurt that Draco once used to be Lucius' beloved son, and now their relationship was so strained and full of malice.

Although Lucius and Aria had magic, and thus speeding up a normally tedious process, it still took time and she could tell it was hard for Lucius. So, Aria stepped in and managed most of Draco's things, and Lucius took over Narcissa's, since his feelings towards his ex-wife were no longer sentimental whatsoever. Lucius took it upon himself to get rid of every trace of the woman, completely and definitively. At one point she had looked out of a window from Draco's old room and saw Lucius lighting all of Narcissa's remaining items on fire outside in the garden. Well that was that, she supposed. Lucius had agreed in the end though, that for Draco's items, he would store them up in the attic until he felt the need to reach out to Draco and tell him to come get his things. Until he was ready though, he didn't want to see or hear from his son.

Through all of this though, Aria thought it worth all the work, simply for the fact that she could see the attic. For someplace Lucius had so rarely visited, the attic was full to the brim of amazing items and treasures. The space was a large, seemingly never-ending expanse of items, and despite the dust, Aria adored it. She found some of the most amazing books; some centuries old, that she piled up in a corner so she could add to the main library later. She also found many trunks of fabulous clothing from many different eras such as the 1920s, the Victorian era, and even some items from the late 1700s. Aria handled those with extra care but couldn't help but clutch to them as if holding onto history itself. Lucius had smiled at her excitement and her adoration for all of the Malfoy history she had found up here.

"You are more than welcome to come up here whenever you'd like my love. This attic has clearly been neglected for many years and I am sure it would like to be explored. I love seeing you explore my family's history. Of course, Draco and Narcissa were never interested; but alas not everyone can have your brilliant and intuitive mind," he smirked at her.

Lucius had been in a separate corner of the attic. After they had used the Accio spell many times to get Draco's things up in the space, Lucius had been organizing where he wanted everything. He even stored a few of the newspaper clippings from the trial in the attic as well; "mementos of our love" he had called them. She heard him digging around in an old trunk and then stop to look at whatever he found. Aria, herself, was too interested in what she had found; an old, but beautifully preserved harp. Aria thought she might want to bring down the harp to place next to the gorgeous harpsichord in the library, the two instruments were without a doubt priceless and should be together she thought.

Lucius walked back over to Aria with a rather thoughtful and pensive expression on his face, and she noticed him sliding a small, wooden box into his robes discreetly.

"I am going to go out for a few hours my love, I hope you don't mind and that you will be okay here on your own for a bit?" he inquired as he kneeled down to where she sat on the floor so that he could brush a stray hair behind her ear tenderly.

She shook her head sweetly and looked at him with curiosity. Neither of them had been out of the house for days. Lucius no longer worked at the Ministry, but Aria had completely not shown up for a few days of work now. She was wondering why she hadn't been in trouble yet, but she realized that with the trial, and the fact that Lucius had been her mentor, and really her only boss besides the Minister for Magic, no one was probably paying any attention to attendance at the moment, as there were far more important things to do. In fact, Aria slightly had the urge to quit her job. After everything that had went down, she no longer felt the Ministry was the friendliest of places, and while she had loved her job there and had excelled at it, she almost couldn't bear the thought of going into work and Lucius not being there anymore. She hadn't voiced her concerns on the matter yet to Lucius, as she knew he wouldn't want her giving up on her dream job. He already felt guilt about too many things.

"I will be fine. But hurry back to me," she smiled sweetly up at him. What could he possibly be getting up to she wondered?


	24. Chapter 24- The Greatest Surprise

**Hello readers! Please leave me reviews! They really help motivate me! Don't forget my Pinterest page. Photos to go along with each chapter :)**

* * *

While Lucius went on his mysterious errand, Aria continued rummaging through the attic. The attic, although dark and dusty, might have been her new favorite spot in the entire Manor. The vast amount of history and treasures up in the space was astounding. Some of the things she found such as books and old clothes were fun to look at, but some of the other items up here were definitely of darker nature. Bottles and jars of unidentified objects lined random shelves and cupboards, and there were quite a few times that Aria's face grimaced openly at the mysterious objects floating in different colored liquids. Many texts and books she found as well were quite dark in nature too; some of the books even had chains wrapped around them. Perhaps they remained up here and not in the main library in case any guests came around the Manor and reported such dark items. Aria was pretty sure many items in the attic were illegal, making them no less exciting to look at though.

Aria was also astounded at the amount of how much jewels she found up in the attic. The Malfoys could open their own rare jewelry store it seemed. Most of the jewels were already in gorgeous settings in rings, necklaces, broaches and bracelets. Some however were just the jewel itself whether it was sapphires, emeralds or diamonds, ready to be put into any gorgeous jewelry one could imagine. Aria felt like a pirate who just discovered treasure. Aria knew Lucius no longer worked at the Ministry, but between his cache of riches here in the attic, his property and all of his other private business dealings, she knew he would be secure financially as he ever was.

After what seemed like hours, the dust began finally getting to Aria, as she felt her nose running and her throat feeling dry. She was digging through one last cabinet of drawers when her hands fell on a small black, velvet pouch. Thinking it to be more beautiful jewelry, she opened the drawstring and pulled out what she was surprised to find to be an actual time turner. Her eyes widened in shock and awe as she pulled out the very rare, and very potentially dangerous item. The temptation she felt as she held the device was overwhelming. She knew time turners were extremely rare and sought after. There were perhaps only a few in existence and only very trusted witches and wizards were able to use them for pre-approved purposes. However, she really wasn't shocked the find out that the Malfoy's owned one. With the right amount of money and power, she was certain it was rather easy for the family to possess one.

Her heart so longed to be able to use it. Her mind raced as she envisioned the images she had seen in the Chamber of Love back at the Ministry the other day. The images of Lucius and Aria throughout time. With this rare time turner, there was a possibility for her and Lucius to travel in time and to discover more about their past lives. It would of course be very risky and dangerous and would require much time and research on how they would pull something like that off, but her heart longed to discover more about them. She knew so much now, but she wanted to know more. Were they truly the first beings that created true love for the rest of humanity? Even to Aria it sounded ridiculous. But she so wanted to believe it was true, and there was much evidence to point to that fact. She also wanted to know if her and Lucius found each other in every life? Or just some? And were they always the same ages when they found each other or was it different each time? These were questions that had been weighing on her mind ever since that day in the Chamber of Love. Aria bit her lip as she held the time turner in her hand, careful not to spin the hourglass in the middle. She put it gingerly back in the black pouch and put it in the pocket of her robe. She wouldn't tell Lucius just yet that she had found it. She wasn't even sure if he knew he had one…although she couldn't help but think that he must know. Either way, she had some thoughts about how she would want to use it.

After her surprising discovery, Aria grabbed the books she found that she wanted to bring down to the main library and headed down the spiral staircase back down to the actual part of the Manor. Aria passed by the newly emptied rooms in this part of the Manor and smiled to herself. The possibilities were endless, and she couldn't wait to find a use for these newly emptied rooms. She perhaps wanted to make them nice guestrooms so that family and friends would be able to visit and stay over. She loved her alone time with Lucius, and she knew if Lucius had his way, it would just be the two of them only, forever. No visits, no more parties or functions, just them. But Aria lived in this beautiful place now, and she wanted to celebrate its beauty, and have it come alive with smiles, laughter and above all things, love.

After setting the pile of books down in the library, she made her way back to her and Lucius' room, took off her robe and went to the bathroom for a nice long shower, wanting to get all of the dust off of her and have the steam from the shower clear out her stuffed sinuses. As she showered, she wondered how long Lucius would be gone and hoping he would be back soon. Any time she wasn't with him, her body called out to him like a magnet. It wasn't so much that she was in need of or helpless without him, but she just felt like a piece of her was missing when he was away. Their bond was that strong. As her mind continued to think of him, she began fantasizing about one of the earlier times they had had in this shower. She envisioned him standing behind her, his hands running over her wet, soapy body as he caressed her breasts and rubbed her clit with perfection. Alone now in the shower, Aria's urge and need for him grew and she found herself quite aroused as she thought of him. She reached down and touched herself and moaned slightly at her own sensitivity and physical hunger. She could have easily brought herself pleasure right then, but she knew her Lucius would be back hopefully any minute and she knew if she waited, he would sense her need and he would ravish her deliciously.

She got out of the shower and wrapped herself in plush white towel and headed downstairs back to the library where she lit a calming fire and sat on one of the comfortable sofas while she curled up with one of the books she pulled down from the attic: _Notable Wizarding Families- Malfoy._ Aria had instantly wanted to read this book when she saw it. It seemed to be a part of a series of books on famous wizarding families, and this volume focused solely on the Malfoys. Aria loved learning about Lucius' family. The good and bad parts. She wanted to know as much as she could about the man she loved and where he came from. She knew not all of it would be pleasant, but being the historian she was, she was excited to learn more about the Malfoy name.

She was in awe when she learned the name Malfoy was first traced back to the late Middle Ages around the 1300s in Britain. The book did mention though that although that was the first recorded instance of their name appearing in wizarding history, there was a strong chance that they were around long before then. That gave hope to Aria's theory that her and Lucius' love was even more ancient and powerful. As an hour or two more went by, Aria had learned much about the early Malfoys. They had always been rich and powerful, as each patriarch of the Malfoy family had been involved in business, banking or politics, whether those involvements had been legal or not, that seemed to matter little. The Malfoys had always been well to do and aristocratic. Aria felt she was in a world she knew little about but had always dreamed of; and she felt incredibly lucky that Lucius had allowed her into his heart and his world.

Soon Aria heard footsteps in the marble entry way down below and her heart felt his presence back in the Manor. Lucius seemed to know exactly where she was too, as he immediately came into the library, as his body led him there as if knowingly. Lucius adored the sight of the young love of his life, curled up on the couch in nothing but a towel, the firelight gleaming off of her skin. She seemed perfectly at home here and that is what mattered the most to him. He smiled to himself, his iconic smirk gracing his handsome face. Aria turned and caught his eye and smiled softly as well.

"You're back," she stated simply, as she closed the book she was reading and scooted to one side of the couch, indicating that she wanted him to sit by her.

"Indeed, I am," he said as he strode over to the couch, taking off his thick outer robes as he walked over to her, not breaking their gaze.

Aria's eyes took in his gorgeous form hungrily. She had wanted him badly earlier, and the sight of him didn't disappoint as he briskly walked over to her with a look on his face she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was an expression of contentment, excitement…and maybe a touch of nervousness was it? Or maybe anticipation. Either way, Aria was intrigued at this new expression she had not yet seen from him before.

His body looked marvelous as he took off his thick robes to reveal his taught form clad in a gorgeous button up shirt and silver and black embroidered waist coat, and tighter fitting black slacks. He always looked so divine and had the most amazing sense of style. Something which only added fuel to her burning fire of lust that she had raging inside of her.

Lucius sat next to her and noticed her skin had a strong flush to it; it was very becoming and only heightened her beauty. He leaned in, breathing in her sweet clean scent, as he reached out his left hand and tilted her chin romantically towards his lips so he could kiss her deeply. They both sighed in pleasure as they broke the kiss and Lucius looked to the table where Aria had laid down her book and he slightly laughed to himself.

"Does reading about Malfoy Family History arouse you so, my love?" he smirked.

"It is enjoyable to learn about I will admit, but I have been aroused since earlier in the shower. I am afraid distracting my mind with some reading hasn't dissuaded my body from wanting you," she smirked back at him and then whispered, "wanting you so incredibly much." Her eyes gleamed with lust in the firelight.

"Mmm," he practically growled as his fingers traced her jawline, lips and chin. Her skin tingled with need, and she leaned in closer to him, needing more. He stopped her suddenly, "but I have something special in mind for us for tonight and I would love nothing more than to ravish you there instead of here."

Aria pouted but her mind piqued with excitement. She loved surprises. She noticed he said "there." Was he going to take her somewhere? Lucius noticed her pouting and her questioning look and chuckled to himself.

"We aren't going far, you've been to this place before…but I thought tonight would be a good night to revisit it," he teased. "Now go put on something warm…but easily removeable…." He demanded to her with a raised eyebrow and a naughty smirk.

"Yes, my Lord," she smirked back. She knew he loved it when she acted the innocent type, and with one more excited squeeze of his hand she left him waiting on the library sofa as she went to change.

She quickly hurried back upstairs and wondered what would be warm enough but easily removeable. Her body was alight with desire and excitement and she didn't want to have to think too hard now. She opted for one of her tighter fitting sweater dresses in the deepest shade of emerald green; Lucius' favorite color. She paired it with some knee-high socks and boots, so that her legs wouldn't get too cold and then she wrapped a cashmere crème colored scarf around her neck and finally hurried back downstairs to meet Lucius back in the library.

* * *

She saw him sitting in the same spot she left him in on the couch; he had picked up the Malfoy family history book and was turning through the pages with half interest, but she could tell he was anticipating her return so he could take her to her surprise. She came up behind him where he sat and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as her face came up from behind him, leaned her head into his pale neck and kissed him softly with her plush lips. He moaned in pleasure as he tilted his head back a bit to give her more access to the skin on his neck. She didn't disappoint as she continued kissing his soft skin and breathing in his concentrated musky scent. After a bit she stopped her kissing but leaned her lips to his ear and whispered, "I'm ready for my surprise now my Lord."

He smirked widely and got up from his spot on the couch and made his way to her, taking in her beautiful body in the very suiting emerald green sweater dress. She looked divine. He put on his thick black robes once more and offered her his left arm to take as he led her outside. What Aria didn't see, was Lucius reach his right hand into the pocket of his robes to feel for the velvet box that lay within it; his heart beat faster as his hand stroked over the material of it.

Aria was happily surprised when Lucius led them outside to the first parterres of the beautiful Malfoy Manor gardens. One of her favorite places in the world. He led her deeper into the maze that was the gardens, as they walked peacefully and happily together, breathing in the crisp autumn air and marveling at the gorgeous colored tones of the setting sun. Much of the garden was still green but a lot of the trees were turning beautiful shades of gold and copper, colors that the sunset was only highlighting even further. As much as Aria loved these gardens, without Lucius guiding her she still would have likely gotten lost. She would have to memorize every inch of this gorgeous Eden one day; her Eden, as she was now an owner of them. Her heart soared at the thought.

Her heart grew even more as she suddenly recognized the grove Lucius had led her into. It was the same one they had first kissed that night at the Masquerade Ball those few months ago. So much had changed since then, but not her feelings for the man at her side. If anything, her feelings had grown to unmeasurable heights for him, her soulmate, and she delighted that even now she still felt those butterflies he always gave her in the pit of her stomach. The grove was of course much the same, with the gorgeous fountain of the Cupid in the center and the old stone benches that surrounded the fountain, but Lucius had made it even more special for tonight. There were candles laid out everywhere; on the benches, on the edge of the fountain, scattered around the ground, and some even floated in midair above them. The tiny flames from all of the candles made the air around them the perfect warm temperature, the crisp coldness of the evening melting away into the blissful comfort and everything was bathed in a golden glow of candlelight. White roses and peonies were now sprouting from the hedges that surrounded their private little grotto, as if they had been growing there for decades, however Aria knew Lucius had magically made them, as they shimmered almost gold and silver in the evening light. A white fur rug was placed in front of the fountain with white and gold and emerald green pillows scattered about, almost like how it was in the tent that they had stayed in back in Scotland.

Aria stared in shock and wonder at the sight around her. Lucius had truly made it a romantic Wonderland; she had never seen a place more beautiful or perfect.

"Lucius this is…this is so wonderful and beautiful…" she said almost unable to talk through her emotion.

He smiled proudly at his work, glad that she loved her surprise. It wasn't over yet though. He led her to the center of the grotto and sat down with her on the edge of the fountain. Aria took in his expression again; the same one from earlier…full of emotion and something unreadable. She noticed him swallowing hard, his brows furrowing before he spoke.

"I just love you…so incredibly much Aria…" he said seriously. The candles in the evening light causing his gorgeous platinum hair to shimmer slightly.

Aria breathed out a sigh of emotion. She hadn't expected this evening to turn into something so romantic and passionate, but she delighted in it. "I love you Lucius," she said as tears prickled her eyes. She blushed and smiled at her overcoming emotion.

Before Aria could comprehend what was happening next, she saw Lucius reach into the deep pocket of his robes and pull out a black, velvet box. As she still sat on the edge of the fountain, she saw Lucius gracefully sink to one knee as he knelt in front of her and looked up at her with depthless grey eyes full of love and for the first time ever, vulnerability. Aria's hands came up to her mouth as she stared down at her true love in shock. Her brain went almost blank, as she saw him open the box to reveal the most spectacular ring she had ever seen. It was very large, and the glimmering square-cut yellow-gold diamond in the middle was gloriously surrounded by tons of tinier diamonds all around. Aria's breath stopped and tears of pure joy started flowing down her cheeks, as Lucius began to talk.

"Aria, my goddess, from the moment I first saw you I knew you would be the one that would turn my dark world upside down and bring me into the light. You have given me so much already, just by simply existing, but to know that we are soulmates, destined to be together, made me realize that I don't want to waste any more time in this life. I want you, in every way possible. You have taught me how to truly love, something I never thought was possible and the power I so longed for throughout my miserable life, has only now just been realized because of you. I know I have already been married and had a family, and that might not be the most attractive prospect, but the only woman and family I want for the rest of my life is you. After everything we have been through, this was the only option I could see for us moving forward. A life together forever, in this lifetime and the rest. Will you do me the unsurpassable honor of marrying me, my love?"

For a few seconds, Aria could only smile and stare into Lucius' deep grey eyes, the vulnerability he had shown in his expression she now understood was building up to this moment. He had said such beautiful words to her, and her mind was buzzing so much, she almost couldn't hear him through the beating of her heart, but finally she found her voice amidst all of her emotions.

"Yes, my love. Of course! It will only ever be you…forever," she said as she then got off the ledge of the fountain, knelt next to him, took his face between her hands and kissed him deeply, as more tears of happiness fell down her face. As she pulled away Aria saw the beaming smile on his face, one of true happiness, as he took her slightly shaking left hand in his and slid the stunning diamond ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit and felt solid and just right on her skin. He brought the ring up to his lips and kissed it, almost as if blessing it with his love.

Aria placed her hand on his chest, and simply stared at the ring on her finger. It was stunning and perfect, but the beauty of it couldn't compare to the love she felt for this man, this powerful wizard, who just professed his undying love for her. This moment was perfect; only one more thing could make it even more so. The lustful flush of her skin from earlier returned and having him in this perfect moment was the only thought that possessed her mind.

Without saying a word, she slowly slid his robes off of him, and then slowly unbuttoned the crystal buttons of his waistcoat and then his dress shirt until his glorious upper body was naked before her, her eyes never leaving his, as she undressed him. Lucius smirked at his now _fiancé_ , and just as slowly unwrapped the scarf from around her neck and trailed her sweater dress slowly up her body until he slid it off over her head. He noticed approvingly that she had worn no bra or underwear, clearly anticipating this very moment, so she was only now clad in her socks and boots. As she helped him take off her boots, she went to remove her socks as well, but he stopped her suddenly.

"No, leave these on…I rather like the sight of you in nothing but these knee-high socks," he smirked with a spark of lust in his eye.

He then quickly removed his slacks and underwear in one swift motion and knelt back down to the soft fur blanket where his love knelt waiting for him. He lay over her, just taking in her beauty for a few seconds. She shined with love and light for him in that moment and he began kissing her passionately. His tongue soon sought entrance to her mouth, and she moaned as she felt his tongue graze hers. As he kissed her, he started moving his hips, which were in line with hers, causing his hardening shaft to rub over her now wet center and clit. They both moaned as the friction became more and more intense. He had grabbed her ass tightly in the palm of his hand, bringing her even more closely pressed against him.

"Lucius…want you…now," Aria breathed out in pleasure as she rubbed against him fiercely one more time before pressing lightly against his chest, signaling to him that she wanted him to sit back. Seeming to know what she wanted, Lucius sat up on the fur blanket, leaning back on both hands to support himself. Aria came up over him, as she straddled him, her legs on either side of his. Lucius let her take control in this moment, knowing that she had wanted this so badly from earlier today, and now fueled by the perfection of this special night. She stared at him with green eyes, boring into his grey ones, as she leaned her head in to kiss him while simultaneously lowering herself inch by inch onto his throbbing cock. God, she felt so wet and soft thought Lucius, and as she slowly impaled herself upon him, he broke their kiss as he groaned out into the night. She was sublime. She started riding him at a steady pace, adoring the feeling of the control she felt as well as how full she felt with him inside of her at this angle. It felt so incredibly good and her pace quickened immediately, as she couldn't control her pleasure.

"Dear God, Aria…" he groaned out again. He brought one of his hands around her waist, causing her to come in closer and tighter to his body, as he buried his face into the spot between her neck and ear and began kissing her and sucking on her neck. This time causing her to moan aloud.

She continued riding him, and he couldn't believe her fervor in this position. He adored everything about it. The way her pace was rapidly increasing, the way her gorgeous breasts bounced against him with every pump, the way he had easy access to her delicate and delicious neck. It was all too much and Lucius' eyes rolled back into his head as he felt himself getting closer and closer to climax. But he wanted to get her to her bliss first, that was most important to him. And so, he braced himself and began meeting her thrusts with his own. As she came down onto him, he would move his hips up to thrust his iron cock into her. Aria's eyes opened wide at this newfound sensation of them coming together more intensely and cried out Lucius' name several times.

Their stamina seemed to never end and they both kept at it for a while, never wanting to break their connection or have this moment end. Lucius could see in her eyes she was so close to coming and that it would only take a few more powerful thrusts up into her, and Aria could also see Lucius' furrowed brow telling her that he was experiencing immense pleasure and was concentrating on holding on.

"Come with me Lucius, come with me," she whispered as she continued riding him quickly.

"Yes," he groaned out hoarsely and with one more thrust up into her as she rode him, he felt her inside walls begin to quiver and pulse around him, and he heard her initial screams out into the night, causing him to come hard and unbridled into her wet heat. They came together, both groaning in pleasure and holding onto each other tightly. Aria's nails had dug into his alabaster skin on his back, causing scratch marks, but neither of them noticed. They breathed heavily as they both came down from an incredible orgasm, one that they had had together on this perfect night. Lucius held Aria in his arms, she was still impaled on his still slightly hard cock and he kissed her tenderly all over her spent and satisfied body; her breasts, her neck, her face.

"This night is so perfect," she whispered into his ear.

"Yes," he agreed as he smiled contentedly, his face currently buried in her neck. He had never been this happy in all of his life. Never. "You make me the happiest I have ever been, I hope you know."

"You deserve it," she smiled as she finally moved herself off of his lap. The sudden loss of each other's warmth both made them sigh out.

"I've tried so hard to be a changed man after he War, and until I met you, I didn't know if that was possible. But you showed me love and light," he said as he traced a finger across her cheek. "One more thing…" he said as he snapped his fingers suddenly and a bucket of ice with an expensive bottle of champagne and two glasses appeared.

Aria smiled and laughed at the surprising magic he always seemed to possess. The man was always full of surprises. With a pop, he uncorked the bottle and poured them each a glass of champagne and passed a glass to her. She held the glass in her hand and noticed that the gold of the champagne was almost similar to the yellow-gold color of her stunning ring. She smiled and held out her hand and slightly moved it so that the ring sparkled and glinted in the candlelight. It was the most stunning jewel she had ever seen.

"Is this why you left earlier today?" Aria asked with an innocent smile on her face.

Lucius nodded his head. "Yes. I found it up in the attic this morning. I knew I had wanted to propose to you soon, and had many ideas in my head about what I would love to give you, whether it was one of my family's old heirlooms or a brand new ring altogether, but I saw this yellow diamond today and it reminded me of your sunlight you constantly radiate and the way you glow when we make love on those special nights," he revealed.

"Lucius," was all she could say as tears came to her eyes. She was so touched.

"The jewel itself has been in my family for centuries, as I found it in a box with other jewels dating back to at least the 1500s. The setting and ring itself I picked out today. The smaller diamonds around the large yellow one reminded me of stars. You often tell me I remind you of the moon and stars and so I felt as if this ring was us combined."

Aria stared at the man next to her in disbelief. How was he so perfect? So thoughtful? "Are you real?" she said as she stared at him in disbelief.

He slightly chuckled to himself and kissed her softly, assuring her he was, in fact, real.

"I am, my love. And so is our love and our future," he said as he raised up his glass of sparkling champagne. "To us…forever."

Aria raised her glass and clinked it lightly against his. "Forever," she agreed.


	25. Chapter 25- Power

**Sorry for the brief delay. I had a really bad past few weeks and was feeling so upset to even write. If you guys could leave me reviews that would really cheer me up! I need some cheering up! Thanks!**

**xoxo**

* * *

The night seemed to go by in a blur of passion and happiness. Both Aria and Lucius felt as if they were on a high; a high that was similar to the night they had drank each others' blood and a high that transcended all others because it was a feeling that came from the very depths of their souls and connected as one. After everything they had been through, this was the light that had been at the end of their tunnel. Throughout the night, after their romantic evening down in the grove of the Manor Gardens, Lucius and Aria had slept on and off, waking every few hours and making love in the silent and still darkness of their room. Each time more and more passionate and all consuming, however despite waking up multiple times through the night, both awoke the next morning well rested and feeling light as air.

Aria had awoken, and instantly knew Lucius himself had been awake as his breathing wasn't the type of deep breath one has when asleep. However when Aria looked over and up at her new fiancé she saw his face still held the hint of the smile that now seemed to be permanently engrained on his lips. For the first time in his life, Lucius Malfoy was a happy man. To anyone besides Aria herself, the sight of a natural smile upon the face of the head of the Malfoy family would have been shocking.

Without looking Lucius could sense that Aria was awake, which made his slight smile broaden even wider on his peaceful looking face. His platinum hair fanned out across his silk pillow looking like it shimmered in the morning light and his silver-grey eyes shined like diamonds. The constant darkness within him was practically gone, it so appeared.

"Good morning my beautiful girl," he said as he turned to his left side so he could look upon his future bride.

She smiled at him and closed her eyes in pleasure as his gorgeous hand came up to stroke her soft cheek. She could stay in bed with him forever and be completely content.

"I was thinking…." he said growing more serious.

"Oh?" Aria said her green eyes fluttering open and looking at his expression, wondering what he had in mind.

"I want to introduce you to my Father…" Lucius said warily. She could tell he even seemed uncertain with himself, but remained determined. There was one thing that Aria knew however, and that was that his Father, Abraxas Malfoy, had been dead for decades.

Aria furrowed her brows and Lucius instantly knew what she was thinking.

"I know what you are going to say…he is dead so how can you possibly meet him? Well, he does have a grand portrait here in this house and although it is not the real man himself, I'd like to think there is a bit left of him within that portrait to know and understand…. Although he didn't have much of a soul or personality to begin with. I mean look what I turned out to be," Lucius said as he slightly rolled his eyes.

Aria put her hand up to stroke his cheek. "I would love to meet your father, Lucius. Although I am not too sure he will like meeting me…I still want to meet him…" she slightly smiled. "As for the other thing…you have more of a soul than anyone I have ever known. You turned out to be the only man made for me, and that is everything to me. You are the greatest man I have ever known."

Lucius never knew if he would get used to being loved as much as Aria loved him. He still had one foot slightly in his dark past, and could sometimes only think about himself as the man he used to be. He known he had grown to be a different man, especially with the influence of Aria in his life, but he truly never knew if he wouldn't always see himself as a soul possessed by darkness.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," he said as he leaned in to kiss her briefly and then brought her hand with her ring finger up to his lips and kissed the beautiful rock on her finger, as if further proving his point he truly meant what he said.

* * *

As the two got up, Lucius dressed in a black button up shirt with black trousers with his iconic black robes and leather gloves; no matter what he always looked dashing and dressed to impress. Although Aria knew she would be not actually meeting his Father in the flesh, she still wanted to look like a presentable witch for the man who had raised the love of her life and so she put on a beautifully elegant pale green silk dress that hugged her body in all the right places but was still classy.

During a quick coffee and breakfast Aria and Lucius said little, besides the occasional smile and touch from across the table. Aria was wondering why she hadn't seen the portrait of Lucius' Father before. Had she missed it? She was sure she would recognize the portrait, as the man who probably resembled Lucius a great deal. However after breakfast, when Lucius led her to the one room he had never stepped foot in since she had known him, she knew why.

The portrait of Abraxas Malfoy was hanging in the drawing room of Malfoy Manor. The dark and dusty room was one that Lucius seldom had gone in for the many years after the War. Aria knew a bit about it, not only from Lucius himself, but also from what Hermione had said. The room was a reminder to Lucius of his dark past and of the times when Voldemort had taken over not only his home, but also his life and soul. Aria understood why Lucius would rarely go in the room, although it had the potential to be such a beautiful space. The portrait itself had a dark cloth draped over it, as if the second the War had ended and Lucius had regained his home and life back, he had covered up every reminder of any bad association and memory.

Aria could feel Lucius slightly shuddering at even having set foot in the dark room. He stepped in front of the covered portrait but had made no move yet to uncover it. He just stared up at it, as if bracing himself for the worst. Being gentle and comforting as ever, Aria squeezed his hand lightly. She then removed her wand from a hidden fold in her dress and muttered a few spells under her breath, causing the window curtains to open slightly allowing a bit of natural light in the gloomy room and she also used a quick spell to create a low crackling fire in the fireplace, which made her feel instantly more homey and comfortable. As much as Aria loved the Manor herself, she could even feel the dark memories and vibes radiating around this room. The light from the windows and the comfort of the fire seemed to help Lucius a bit as he breathed in a long sigh and let it out slowly.

"Thank you my love…are you ready?" he asked her, almost in a way asking himself, as he still sounded unsure.

"Yes. And don't forget, I am here for you and I love you with all of my heart. And nothing anyone says will change that…ever," she smiled.

He smiled back and then suddenly with a flick of his wand, the cloth covering the portrait of Abraxas Malfoy fluttered to the ground in a heap. Aria stared up at the portrait for a few long seconds, taking it in. She could definitely tell the resemblance although she was pretty sure that Lucius had received most of his beautiful features from his mother. The man was blond, but his hair was a more subdued dirty blond and was slicked back against his head. The eyes were a deep, dark blue, not bright like Lucius' silver ones. However, the mouth and the bone structure of the man were definitely all Lucius. While Abraxas had certainly been a handsome man, he was not gorgeous and mesmerizingly beautiful as his prodigal son. And another thing was certain after looking into the eyes of the man in the portrait; Abraxas Malfoy was a confident man who had no regrets and no true concept of love behind the dark blue depths of his eyes. And while Lucius was certain that he had inherited that aspect from his Father, Aria knew in that instant, just from one look at the portrait that Lucius was indeed different and the thought made her smile at the revelation.

The portrait of the man stared down at the couple from its vantage point hanging on the wall. The visage of Abraxas was unnerving and his eyes narrowed as the man in the portrait tried to decide what he wanted to say first to his son.

" _Well, well, well_ …" Abraxas began to speak from inside the portrait, "If it isn't my only son…finally come to speak to me again have you? After being so carelessly covered up for Lord knows how long." Abraxas then looked to Aria and his face softened slightly. She could tell the man was confused as he also took in the fact that Lucius was holding hands with her. He must have been wondering what happened to Narcissa. Perhaps he didn't know how long he had been covered and forgotten. "And who is this lovely woman?" he finally said as one of his blond eyebrows raised up in question; just like Lucius' often did.

Lucius let out a sigh. He had been expecting some unfriendliness but it could have been worse he thought. Leave it to his Father to be more interested in a beautiful woman when one presented itself to him. Lucius puffed out his chest a bit more proudly as he thought of Aria next to him; how beautiful she was inside and out.

"Abraxas," he addressed his Father coldly. Aria instantly noticed he didn't call him Father to his face, which caused the man in the portrait to scowl again. "You have been covered for many years now…. the War is over. The Dark Lord is no longer in control of the world, let alone my own life. Much has changed. Narcissa and Draco have proven themselves to be unloyal and unworthy of the name Malfoy. For the first time in my life, I have learned how to truly love and be happy, thanks to this woman next to me," he said more tenderly as he looked at Aria next to him. She looked back up at him and smiled softly, her cheeks flushed a light beautiful pink. He smiled just as softly back and continued. "This is Aria De La Cour, and she is to be my wife. We have just become engaged yesterday."

Abraxas looked down at his son taking in his words. His expression almost read as if he didn't quite believe what Lucius was saying and that this was all some show. He then looked back to Aria, this time his expression was one of pure inspection. He looked at her for quite a long time not speaking. His deep blue eyes making her slightly nervous and uncomfortable with her own sense of self. Finally he spoke.

"And are you _pure_ my beauty?" he questioned her as he leaned forward in his portrait as he eagerly awaited her response.

"Pure?" Aria asked, her cheeks flushing further. Was his Father really asking her if she was a virgin? That is where her mind immediately went. She didn't realize that of course he meant pure as in her bloodline.

"Yes, pure. What is your wizarding bloodline and lineage?" he asked more angrily, clearly not enjoying having to repeat himself.

Before Aria could answer Lucius began to speak, "That matters little Abraxas, as I have said I have changed quite-"

"No Lucius it's okay. I am not ashamed," Aria said as she stopped him mid-sentence. She stepped up closer to look up at the portrait of Abraxas. "I am half wizard blood, half Veela," she said proudly.

Abraxas leaned back in his portrait as he looked down at her. His scowl had disappeared and Lucius was almost surprised to find his expression was pleased. He smirked and then spoke. "Yes I can tell you definitely have Veela blood. Your beauty is exceptional," he said eyeing her up and down rather obviously. Aria normally would not have appreciated that but she was too surprised at his practically immediate acceptance. He continued, "Lucius said you were a De La Cour? Yes, I have heard of that family name before; a very powerful family lineage from France. Yes, I suppose you will do nicely for Lucius."

Lucius could only stare up at the portrait of his Father, his mouth slightly open in shock at how quickly Abraxas had accepted Aria as a good match for him. "And you don't want to know about Narcissa and Draco?" Lucius finally spoke.

"Narcissa is irrelevant to me. You could have been paired up with any pureblooded witch and it would have mattered not to me Lucius…you were paired simply for blood pureness alone. And as for my grandson, Draco..." Abraxas stopped for a moment and contemplated what he would say next. "If you say he has betrayed the name of Malfoy, than it must have been exceptionally impactful what he had done. You have always been more of a family man than I Lucius…more of a man of _feeling_ ," Abraxas said the word with disgust. "I had tried my hardest to beat the feelings out of you growing up but I knew when you had your son I had failed," Aria breathed in sharply at this statement and she stepped forward as if to tear the portrait off the wall, but Lucius quickly grabbed her hand in his and squeezed it to stop her. Abraxas continued speaking, seemingly he had not noticed Aria's rage at his statement. "So if what he did was enough to make you separate yourself from him, then it must have been serious," concluded Abraxas.

"Hmm," was all Lucius muttered as he looked to his right into the fire that crackled in the fireplace, as if trying to figure out which direction his mind was going.

As for Aria, she was horrified to learn that Lucius had been abused emotionally, and what seemed to be physically, as a child. Aria now knew where a lot of his darkness stemmed from. She felt tears prickling her eyes knowing that if Lucius had been raised differently perhaps his life could have taken a different path. Although she remembered that she was in the present, and Lucius loved her and was now a man of free emotions, and that was all that mattered.

Lucius spoke again, "I must say Abraxas, I find your acceptance of this news rather a relief. Aria is the best thing that has ever happened to me in my miserable life and I wanted you to know that your only son is finally and truly happy…even if that is never even what you truly wanted or cared about."

"I care about power and status, Lucius. You know that more than anyone. And although her wizard blood is but half, her other half being Veela, is far more powerful than any normal wizarding blood. Anything that will bring more power to our family is good…plus her beauty far surpasses your previous wife's, and I see it as an extra bonus."

Aria seriously couldn't believe the words that spewed from the man's mouth. So trivial and so vain; and yet Aria couldn't help herself from feeling some slight pride at hearing Abraxas claim she was more beautiful and more powerful than Narcissa. Aria felt slight shame at her feelings of pride for what the man said. She could really now understand much of Lucius' personality and the often conflicting emotions he had. She couldn't imagine talking to Abraxas for much longer, let alone a whole lifetime and she instantly realized how hard it must have been to be a young Lucius Malfoy. She felt a whole new level of love for Lucius than before.

Aria did have a question though for Abraxas, one that had been on the tip of her tongue since the conversation had begun. "Abraxas, did you know that Lucius was also part Veela? Does that come from your side? Did you know about his Veela blood?"

Abraxas nodded plainly and simply answered, "Yes, I knew."

"You knew I had Veela blood and you never thought to mention it to me before?" Lucius said just as surprised as Aria.

"All you needed to know Lucius, was that you were a powerful being. It mattered not whether it was wizard or Veela blood. I just needed you to understand that you were greater, more powerful and better than most of society. That was what was important…"

Aria rolled her eyes at Abraxas. God the man was horrible to have to listen to.

Lucius had more questions though. "Is my Veela blood from you or Mother," he asked quickly, desperately needing an answer to better understand himself and his own history.

"Your Mother of course," said Abraxas as if that was plainly easy to know. "Her beauty was unsurpassable, much like your young fiancé standing next to you. It is part of the reason why I truly did care for her. She was also a very powerful witch. She was a pureblooded witch although everyone could see that she had Veela somewhere within her blood. She often demonstrated Veela type powers as well; some special nights, I recall her hair and skin would glow if her emotions got the best of her…which wasn't many times throughout her life. Your Mother, as you know, was a very subdued and emotionally controlled woman."

Lucius couldn't help but look out into the open room as if remembering his Mother fondly. A slight smile played across his lips at the memory of her. Lucius' love for his Mother made Aria smile as well.

"So you did love her than? You do know what love is," Aria smiled up at the portrait of the emotionally vacant man.

"I said I cared for her, young lady, not love. I do not believe in such weaknesses as love," he scowled.

"But you see, you are simply wrong," Aria combated him. His expression clearly indicating he was not used to being argued with. "Lucius and I have had many revelations and have seen many prophesies telling us that our love is one of the most powerful magics in the universe."

Abraxas raised his eyebrow again at her. Not clearly understanding her meaning. "How do you mean? Explain," he demanded.

"I found a prophecy of our love in a book here in our library at the Manor," began Lucius. "It depicted a woman and man, mirror images of the two of us, with a Latin prophecy encircling the image. And then Aria, later on, was able to somehow gain entrance to the Chamber of Love in the Ministry of Magic…" he revealed.

"Wh…what?" Abraxas snapped his head to Aria, looking at her as if she was a higher power, a deity. "The Chamber of Love?! No one in my generation nor any before mine, has been granted access…" he marveled at her.

"Yes, so I've heard," Aria replied. "I believe it is because Lucius and I are the first original soul mates of the Universe. Our Veela blood has formed a bond between us that transcends time. The Chamber of Love showed me many things. It showed images of us throughout time, ever connected, ever in love. Don't you see? The one thing you don't believe in, is the one thing that makes your son more powerful than all the rest."

Now it was Abraxas' turn to stare open-mouthed as he took in what was being said. The man in the portrait stared at his son, with an expression that was entirely new; almost as if he had seen his son for the first time in his life, and all of his potential. Lucius stared back, a new confidence and pride in himself shining through. Aria was so happy for him in this moment. This was as close as he would ever get to his Father's complete approval.

"Abraxas your son is the most wonderful man I have ever known. Yes, he is an exceptionally powerful wizard, the most powerful I have seen, but he also is the most romantic, most gorgeous soul. Your quest to make your son all-powerful has proven successful but I am afraid that your other quest to remove love from his life has failed. However with your failure, he has become even more powerful than before," said Aria.

Lucius looked down at her with such love and adoration for the things she was declaring for him to this stoic man in the portrait.

Abraxas for once didn't argue against the notions of love and its power. Instead, he still kept the expression on his face that indicated he was seeing things for the first time more clearly.

"Lucius do you know what this means? If you two really are what this young lady says you both are…the legends of the soulmate Veelas, that means you will have exponential power when combined together…" Abraxas' eyes could be noticed shining and glinting even in the painted features of his face in the portrait. "That means the Malfoy line will be more powerful than ever…perhaps the most powerful wizarding line ever!"

"We have experienced some phenomena when…combined as one on certain special nights," Lucius said delicately as not wanting to embarrass Aria.

Aria flushed slightly, but didn't mind that much. She was proud of their love and it wasn't something to be ashamed of in any way.

"Yes, that is a good sign…but when will you be producing an heir?" Abraxas came right out and said boldly.

Aria flushed even more at this. She had always envisioned a bright future with Lucius and having his babies, and it made her heart flutter deliciously, but the way Abraxas talked about it made it seem too emotionless.

Lucius raised his eyebrow at the portrait of his Father. Leave it to Abraxas Malfoy to be so emotionless and tactless about such a topic.

"That is between Aria and myself Abraxas…" Lucius said as he glared slightly at his Father.

Abraxas scowled at Lucius' non-answer. "Well make it quick Lucius! This family finally deserves this limitless power. The child you will produce together will certainly be one of the most powerful beings born. The magic you two possess must be combined in the form of a child. The name of Malfoy will finally have the ultimate glory and power!"

Aria continued to flush and stare wide-eyed at the portrait. Abraxas seemed to be going slightly manic at the thought of so much power. Lucius almost seemed to sense Aria's thoughts and quickly grabbed her hand to comfort her. He took out his wand and flicked it at the thick covering that lay on the ground and went to cover his Father's portrait back up.

"Thank you for your input Abraxas. I am pleased to know I have your blessing," he said as he moved the fabric ever closer back to covering up the portrait.

"Wait! Lucius…leave me uncovered!" shouted the portrait.

"Goodbye Abraxas," Lucius said coldly as he covered up the portrait, as the shouting from behind immediately went silent. The cover must have been enchanted.

Aria let out a huge sigh. Part relief, part anger, and interestingly, part amusement.

"That was….that was interesting…" Aria said as she turned to face Lucius who sighed out a long breath of air along with her. He grabbed her hand and led her out of the room, he seemed glad to leave it, and led her up to one of their more comforting rooms, the library.

Aria sat down on one of the plush couches in front of the fireplace while Lucius went over to his liquor cabinet and poured himself a tiny dram of Firewhisky. "I know it's early…but by the Gods I need this," he said as he leaned his head back and drank the whole dram in one gulp. "Do you want one love?" he asked as he poured himself another.

She shook her head, her flush slowly fading, and she smiled to herself and chuckled a bit. The whole conversation between the two of them and Abraxas had been eventful yet surprisingly positive (well as positive as it could have been with such a hateful man). "I think that went well. At least he likes me," she shrugged.

"He likes your power…and clearly your beauty," said Lucius with a smirk. "But coming from him that is the best you are going to get, so we should truly be content."

Lucius sat down next to her finally and lovingly put her legs in his lap and rubbed her legs and even her feet comfortingly. He truly was so caring and he didn't even realize it. "Sorry he brought up children already," Lucius began, his grey eyes flicking to hers briefly before looking away almost as if embarrassed.

"Don't be Lucius. I've told you before, it will be the greatest honor for me to one day have your babies," she flushed again but smiled.

His grey eyes met hers again, but this time stayed, his eyes filled with so much emotion and love. He reached out his hand and cupped her cheek as he traced her soft skin with the pad of his thumb. He then slowly moved his hand lovingly down her soft neck, her chest, and finally on her stomach where eventually one day a baby would be growing happily. The warmth of his hand on her stomach could be easily felt through the thin silk of her dress and she closed her eyes and imagined their future together. She knew their baby would be powerful, that was for sure, but that mattered little to her. The child would be purely their love formed into a new being, and that is what mattered most. For now though, she just wanted to focus on the two of them. After everything they had been through, they deserved some time for just themselves.

She saw, however, a glint in Lucius' eye; one of excitement and love. "Should we…?" he began to say almost as if he wanted to have a baby with her now, his eyes were locked on her flat stomach, almost as if he was willing it to grow with new life from his love for her.

Her heart nearly burst with love for the man in front of her. She knew he had taken his role as Father very seriously when it came to Draco, but she didn't realize how badly he had craved a second chance at a normal, happy family. One that she would one day provide him. Soon, but not yet.

She reached out her hand and put it gently under his chiseled jawline bringing his eyes and head back up to be level with hers. "Some day soon my love. For now though, I want to enjoy just being together, you and me…I want to be selfish with you a little longer. I want to marry you first, enjoy our time alone together. Don't you agree?"

He grabbed her hand from under his jaw and brought it to his lips to kiss it. Of course he understood. "Yes I agree my love. You must excuse my excitement about the need for a child with you though. You represent love, hope and happiness for me. All of my secret desires I could never truly have in my past. Now that I have the potential for all of that I find myself becoming overly excitable and almost restless," he smirked.

Aria giggled to herself. She loved this side of Lucius; the giddy and passionate side to him. She thought more about her interaction with his Father. She could see where he got the passionate side to his personality; the fire that lit up inside of him whenever something appealed to him. She still wished she could meet his Mother however.

"Lucius, is there a portrait of your Mother? I would love to meet her. To talk to her about her powers and her Veela blood…if she even knew she possessed it herself."

Lucius' giddiness decreased a bit at the mention of his Mother. "Unfortunately, she never received a portrait herself. Only the blood-born Malfoy women receive official portraits, not the ones who marry into the family…it is a tragedy. She would have been lovely, and I would have loved to have a part of her still here. Now she only exists in my memory and whatever rare photo I can find of her here and there…" he told Aria. "But don't worry love, that will change. One day you and I will get our portraits and we will be together. So no matter where our souls end up, at least that moment in time, between the two of us, will be preserved forever."

Aria felt honored that Lucius had already had the forethought to want a portrait of the two of them commissioned. "Oh Lucius, I would love to be apart of this Manor's history. A portrait commission would be so amazing."

Lucius beamed a perfect, gorgeous smile at her. "I want the future Malfoy family to know that the great Lord and Lady of this Manor ran the family with love and light for once instead of darkness and hate."

Aria smiled and nodded her head in agreement and just sat in her happiness for a while. A thought then dawned on her; one she knew would eventually have to come up. She had met his Father (in a way), now he needed to meet her parents. She had been slightly dreading this. First off, she loved her own bubble that the two of them had formed over the past few months. While that might not have been the healthiest of things, Aria had reveled in their privacy and their budding romance. But with them being newly engaged, she knew the time would be now. Her parents deserved to know who held their daughter's heart.

"Lucius, you know what has to happen soon now right?" she began tentatively. He looked up at her with silver eyes full of wonder. "You need to meet my parents," she said slightly wincing.

Much to her surprise, Lucius didn't cringe or wince. His face remained calm and peaceful and he nodded his head and simply answered, "Yes."

"Won't that be awkward though? I have grown to love our own life here in England. Having you meet my parents seems so…so…juvenile.." she cringed again. She was sure his charm would win over her parents without a doubt, but then there was the age difference. Lucius was as old as her parents, although he looked gloriously amazing still due to his powerful and pureblooded genes.

"I agree my love, but it must be done. Your parents deserve to know that you will be taken care of, protected and loved unconditionally," he said, causing Aria's heart to swell with even more love for him. "Although I am not sure how my alabaster skin will fare in the California sun and heat…"he mused as he thought about having to visit the sunny West Coast of the United States.

That caused Aria's mood to lighten as she laughed at his thoughts on visiting California. He would look out of place, that was for sure, but his confidence of going to meet her parents comforted her greatly.

* * *

The two lovers stayed on the couch for quite a while. Kissing passionately, talking about their future; about their wedding, their eventual family they would build and of all things important in their lives; their bond growing stronger and more connected with each passing hour. The times they were silent were filled with more kissing, feeling and touching. Everyday the two discovered each others' bodies as if it was the first time and sometimes it was so all consuming they forgot to eat; tonight was one such night.

Aria, with her ever-glowing flush and glint in her eye straddled Lucius on the couch and leaned in to whisper in his ear. She knew where she wanted to go with her teasing and seduction and she knew it would rile Lucius up in just the right way in which she desired.

"So how do you feel Mr. Malfoy…knowing that the woman you are to marry might just be as powerful as you are? The great and powerful Lucius Malfoy…has found his equal," she whispered as she bit down on his neck, teasing him.

Lucius' brain instantly went into overdrive. Was she seriously trying to rile him up so as to arouse him? Of course she was…and he would let her.

"Now now Miss De La Cour…don't get too big for your britches. You are after all, still but a half-blood…"his honeyed voice drawled in her ear as he leaned his head in to bite ear earlobe. He knew internally he had grown enough as a man to move past the ideals of pureblooded supremacy, well at least when it came to Aria, however he could tell she desired his dominant side to come out tonight, and if he admitted it to himself, that side of him needed to rear its head every once in a while.

"Hmmm," she moaned as his teeth nibbled at her ear and neck. "Then you must really feel awful knowing a half blood is capable of being your equal," she taunted further.

"Are you looking to be punished Miss De La Cour. Your insolence will not be tolerated," he looked up at her face, his eyebrow raised and his silver eyes shining at her, his dark side wanting to come out badly it seemed. It both excited and slightly un-nerved Aria that in the past he probably would have hexed someone for speaking to him like this. But she knew in their case, as a soul-bonded couple, it was probably arousing him for than anything; exactly what she had planned.

"What if I am?" she said, staring back into his eyes. Hers gleaming with anticipation.

"Well then, naughty girls must get punished," he said with a growl in his chest as he lifted her up, her legs still straddled around his waist.

He carried her over to the thick wooden desk that he often used in the library; he put her down so that she stood right in front of the desk facing him, the last thing she saw were those mesmerizing grey eyes, gleaming with a fire inside of them, his eyebrow still raised in dominance, when all of a sudden his strong hands grabbed her waist, turned her around so she now faced the desk, as one of his hands came up to push her down slightly hard against the hard wood of the desk. Papers scattered everywhere, and Aria's face, breasts and upper body were being pressed strongly against the wood. She should have felt scared, but she just felt pure ecstasy at his dominant side coming out.

"Yes, punish me," she said shakily, her breath coming fast and quick as her face broke out into a slightly crazed smile as she laughed a bit.

"Would you like to tell the class what you think is so amusing Miss De La Cour?" Lucius questioningly teased as he leaned his body over hers, his warm breath tickling her exposed ear and neck. He was so close she could feel his erection pressing up against her backside, which was currently bent over the table, giving him the perfect access to it.

Before she could tease back, she felt his leather gloved hand inch her silk dress quickly up her legs and bum until she was completely exposed to him. Then suddenly, before she even felt the sting of it, she heard Lucius slap her backside with a very strong amount of force. The leather glove on his hand clearly creating even more of an impact. The stinging started shortly after she heard the noise, but she didn't feel the pain so much as the pleasure. She moaned out in ecstasy. This was a very different side to Lucius, and she was glad her teasing had brought it out for him.

"Did you learn your lesson yet Miss De La Cour?" his voice again whispered in her ear. She leaned up on the desk so that she could look at the strong man behind her, as he still pinned her down with his left hand, his right hand ready to spank again. She loved the smirk that played across his lips.

"No, I don't think I have yet," she smirked back and bit her lower lip with her teeth, waiting for the next slap.

Lucius couldn't stop staring at her teeth as they bit her plush lower lip, he found the sight very arousing for some reason and he grew harder. "Well then…you are a naughty, disobedient girl aren't you?" he said as his right hand came down and spanked her backside again. She moaned out in bliss, which excited him. He noticed the red shape of his hand had been imprinted on her bum. Deep down he really hated to hurt her, but right now his mind and his raging erection pushed those thoughts to the side.

"And now…" his voice drawled out again as he anticipated her answer.

"No," she practically moaned out.

"Then further steps must be taken," he said as he took her black lace panties that she wore and ripped them from her in one strong swipe.

She quivered in lust at his strength and she dripped with wetness as she anticipated what came next. She wasn't disappointed when she immediately heard him unzip his trousers, not even bothering them to take them off as he plunged into her to the base of his cock until he was completely sheathed in her warm, velvet heat.

"Lucius!" she cried out as her upper body moved as if she meant to get up to brace herself; however Lucius pushed her back down so that her face and chest were flat against the hard desk. He didn't waste anytime in going slow. His pace was quick yet steady as he began making love to her in the most dominant of ways.

Aria adored this all. This type of love making between them was a rare occurrence, as they usually experienced sex through romance, passion and tenderness, but tonight it was good to feel his dominant side return to him in full force. The way he pounded into her, the way his leather gloved hand felt against her back, the way his platinum hair tickled her neck and face as he leaned into her ear to whisper dirty words to her as he continued his motions with his hips and cock.

Lucius himself was in heaven. He rarely liked going rough on Aria, he preferred to be romantic and gentle with her, however he knew that with her teasing, she had been wanting and expecting this side of him and it felt good for him to release the "beast" as it were, every once in a while. He reveled in the perfect view he had as he loomed above her as he entered her in and out, in and out. He could see his whole cock disappear into her and then come back out again and again, and the sight made him shudder and his eyes roll back, as his head fell back in pure pleasure. He brought his head back up and saw her rear-end was still red form the few slaps and so with his gloved hands he rubbed gently against the sensitive areas causing her to mewl with delight and comfort, until he surprised her again with a intense slap, causing her soft moans to turn into screams of pleasure and pain.

"And now Miss De La Cour," he drawled in her ear, "Have you learned your lesson yet?" he said as his pumping slowed down, so that he was more gentle and slow with his movements inside of her.

"Yes my love," she whispered back with her eyes closed. She had finally surrendered to him, her teasing gone and her tender, innocent side returning. Seeing her change of mood and emotion immediately shifted Lucius' own within him and he instantly reverted to his loving and romantic self. It was as if their emotions and moods were always in sync.

"Good girl," he whispered in her ear, as he kissed her neck and leaned in so that his upper body comfortingly rested upon her as he continued moving his hips slowly in and out of her. He reached his right hand to where her lower half hung off of the desk and found her sensitive clit instantly. He began slowly rubbing in circles as her body instantly reacted in the most delicious way. Her little mews of delight returned as she reveled in the feel of his gloved finger rubbing in glorious circles around her most sensitive area. She couldn't help but bucking her trembling hips back into him each time he thrust into her, her body was losing its own self-control.

Lucius groaned with delight as her perfect hips continued meeting the thrusts of his cock perfectly. His fingers circled her clit faster and faster until he felt her whole body tremble and quake and her legs give out slightly beneath them as she came uncontrollably onto his fingers that were practically holding her up.

"Good, good girl," he repeated again as she continued coming around his ever hardening shaft. God it felt so good and her tightening inner walls made it almost impossible for him to move inside of her. "God you are so good Aria. So beautiful. So perfect," he said as he moved slowly at first inside of her as she came down from her orgasm, and then faster and faster, until he was pounding into her again. For Aria she was so sensitive from coming so hard, she began crying out into the room in bliss again.

Lucius looked down again at himself going in and out of her and put his hand gently on her red bum as he rubbed it and lightly squeezed it. With that engrained into his memory, he felt himself harden, his breath hitch and stop and then felt himself shoot his seed deep up inside of her as he came and spurted over and over again. His groans practically turned into roars of pleasure and he finally collapsed onto her, as he gently supported himself and breathed his warm, sensual breath into her ear. "I love you," he groaned.

"I love you Lucius," she said back, her eyes still closed in pleasure as she managed to finally catch her breath.

After coming back down from his heaven, he eventually got himself up, helped Aria up off of the desk, ignored the papers scattered about around them, and carried her upstairs to their bedroom.

Aria loved whenever he did that; it was so old-fashioned and gentlemanly, and such a contrast to his behavior during their most recent lovemaking. They lay down on their bed, still breathing heavily and just stared into each others' eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked after a while as he reached out and stroked her cheek. "You know that was all in jest right? What I said. Also, is your backside alright?"

Aria was touched he wanted to make sure she was okay physically and mentally after their recent passion and she smiled sweetly and nodded her head, indicating she was perfectly content.

"Yes my love, I am perfectly happy and content. I wanted that…I do sometimes adore when your dominant side comes out," she giggled to herself. She still felt the stinging on her backside but she loved it.

"Hmmm," he groaned lowly as he took in what she said. He scooted her in close to him with one of his strong, powerful arms and just held her, as his other hand found her tender bottom and gently rubbed it lightly with the tips of his fingers, as if soothing it.

Lucius thought about their little game of teasing of dominance and submissiveness. Yes, Lucius knew he would always slightly get off on that, but truth be told, he did love having someone that was his equal in terms of their bond and their power. Lucius had never felt that before with anyone and it was nice to have someone that was the perfect match for him emotionally, physically, magically, in every form possible. He never knew he would find so much contentment in finding his equal. He smiled to himself as he continued gently rubbing the young, powerful witch in his arms.

* * *

Aria finally went to work the next day. She felt as if she hadn't been in an age, and she felt a mixed sense of happiness to be back, but also a resentment to go back to her job without Lucius being there. She had found it extremely hard to leave him that morning. She longed to just be back at the Manor with him, having more romantic and adventurous times with him. She was rather excited to see her friends though, especially Pepper. While Aria had left her engagement ring at home, so as not to cause more newspaper headlines, she would of course tell her best friend about the happy news. Eventually Aria would proudly wear her ring out in the open but for now, her and Lucius decided they didn't want any more newspaper headlines about them for a bit.

Throughout the day Aria noticed more and more people staring and taking a notice of her. After all that had happened, all of the headlines, her dream to blend in seamlessly to the British Wizarding Society seemed to fly out the window. No one was rude or mean, but the staring was something quite noticeable. Aria would often flush and keep her head down and stuck mainly to her desk throughout the day. She had a lot of papers and letters waiting for her. Many smaller projects she would be able to complete in a few hours. She longed for a big project, such as the Hogwarts one, where she would be able to travel somewhere and see amazing, interesting things; Lucius would be able to join her on her travels as well. Again, she felt so odd being at work without him there. She wondered if his office had already been filled with someone else. She couldn't bear to go look.

Her and Pepper had gone out to lunch that day. Pepper was extremely excited to have her best friend back and Aria was wonderfully happy to know that her friend treated her just as she had before, not staring and questioning like everyone else.

When Aria announced to Pepper the exciting news, Pepper almost squealed loudly and was practically jumping up and down in her chair, causing a few of the patrons of the restaurant to stare at their table with annoyance.

"Oh my god, oh my god! Aria! Congrats! It's so soon! When is the wedding? Where is the wedding? Where is your ring!?" all of the questions poured out of her mouth in a torrent.

"Shhh!" Aria laughed as her best friend continued buzzing with excitement. "Pepper! It is sort of a secret! Calm down!" Aria laughed even more as she grabbed her best friend's hand and squeezed.

"Well, I didn't want to wear the ring because Lucius and I could use a break from the headlines for a while. But here, I have a photo of it on my phone," Aria said as she grabbed her phone and showed Pepper the brilliantly gorgeous ring that almost seemed to shine through the phone.

Pepper breathed in deeply in wonder at the gorgeous piece of jewelry. "My God Aria. That is one stunning rock! You lucky girl you!"

"He did do a good job didn't he," beamed Aria as she looked at the photo of the ring lovingly. A pang of longing beat in her heart making her miss Lucius and wanting to be with him. A full day without him was proving to be almost too difficult.

"As for the wedding and all of the details, we haven't even talked about any of that yet. For now we are just…enjoying each other," smirked Aria.

Pepper smirked back and winked at Aria's meaning. "Gosh, it must be so amazing to have a man as gorgeous as that all to yourself. Despite his bad reputation…"

"Oh Pepper, you have no idea. He is perfect to me. He truly is such an amazing man. I am sure if everyone saw the real him right now, they would all be pleasantly surprised to know how much he has changed. Although I am still happy to report he has his devilishly bad boy side," smirked Aria, immediately thinking of last night.

After lunch with Pepper the day seemed to pass by more quickly, which Aria appreciated. Soon she would be able to go back home to Lucius.

Towards the end of the day at around 5 o'clock, she had a few more notes on her desk asking her to come study and investigate some historical artifacts that had just recently come into Ministry hands. She was excited to see any rare artifact she could. Most of them were books, one of her specialties, and she was looking more forward to the rest of her week.

The last letter she found was at the bottom of the pile. The envelope was a very bright green color, almost chartreuse in its shade and her name was written in a very nice script on the front of the envelope. Aria raised her eyebrows. The green color and the neat writing indicated it could be from Lucius, but there was something slightly different about the writing. Still she was intrigued and so she opened the letter with excitement at seeing whom it could be from.

There was a small piece of parchment inside and when she opened the letter, it said nothing but one ominous sentence: _"I am coming for you…"_

For a moment Aria didn't register that it was malicious in its intent, but by the time her mind had processed that the sentence written inside was very unfriendly, she began feeling a hot burning sensation in her right hand which clutched the letter. The burning grew more and more hot, until it felt as if she was gripping the edge of a burning stove. "AH!" she screamed as she dropped the letter to her desk in a panic.

She thought once she dropped the letter the burning would stop, but if anything it grew worse and worse, and now instead of just her fingertips her whole hand up to her wrist was in agonizing pain. Tears began streaming down her face, and although Aria hated to make a scene, she couldn't help but cry out in pain, as the burning grew hotter and spread quicker and quicker.

Pepper raced over to Aria and held her in her arms as Aria slumped to the floor and clutched at her right hand with her left as if cradling it like a baby, willing the pain to stop.

"Pepper it burns! Make it stop!" she screamed. The tips of her fingers were beginning to turn purple, which began alarming her even worse, the panic rising.

Pepper didn't know what to do and was frantically calling for help as more coworkers rushed over to see what was happening.

"Pepper! It was that letter! Something happened when I touched it!" she cried. "Please make it stop! The pain is killing me! Lucius! I need Lucius!" Aria cried. Her tears streaming down her face. More of her hand turning a deadly looking purple, and Aria was practically going to pass out from the pain.

Aria faintly heard someone say that she needed to be taken to St. Mungo's Hospital but that was the last thing she remembered before she could think about anything else but the pain as it continued to burn up her entire arm.

* * *

Lucius had been at Gringotts earlier that day, finalizing the official paperwork, which included Aria on the deed to the Manor and the inheritor of all of his assets. He didn't realize how truly happy that would make him until he actually went to go and make it official. Later in the day he met a business partner at one of the finer wizarding pubs in Diagon Alley. They were just going over their next plans for investing in profitable business stocks when all of a sudden, Lucius got that same feeling he got that one-night months ago when Aria had been in trouble. His heart felt as if it was about to drop into his stomach and he stood up abruptly, causing his business partner to jump with a start.

"What is it Malfoy?!" the man said, almost annoyed at Lucius' abrupt disturbance of their conversation.

"My Aria!" he practically screamed. He ran outside of the pub his hair and cloak billowing out behind him as he ran. Their connection was of course more intense then it had been those first few days when this had happened before, so now he realized gratefully that he simply had to think about her and he was able to apparate to where she would be. Lucius was thankful that their bond and power had grown to that level, but his heart sank even further when he looked up to where he had just apparated to and realized it was St. Mungo's Hospital. He ran into the hospital, scaring the witches and wizards inside as he practically ripped the doors off of their hinges. He ran to the reception desk and couldn't help but scream at the poor witch behind the desk. "ARIA! Aria De La Cour! Where is she?! What's happened?!"


	26. Chapter 26- Fevered Dreamscape

**Don't forget I have a Pinterest page with photos to go along with each chapter! :) No one has reviewed yet, and I am still hoping someday someone will! Please do.**

**https://www.pinterest.com/VersaillesPixie**

* * *

The witch behind the front desk practically jumped out of her chair half because of Lucius' loud, commanding voice booming in her ear, and the other half because the look in his eyes was one of pure terror, fury and anxiety; all of those emotions being transferred to the terrified witch.

"Sir…Mr. Malfoy," she squeaked out nervously, "she came in just a few minutes before you! She was rushed immediately off to the Poisons Ward!"

"Poisons?!" Lucius said through his teeth, almost as in a hiss. "What the Devil…"he practically shouted as he stormed off in the direction of the Poisons Ward, his black cloaks billowing behind him like a retreating storm.

"Sir! Sir!" cried the witch after him as she chased him down the hallway, "I am afraid you can't go in! The healers and doctors are very busy- it's dangerous!

Lucius ignored the witch, as if she was nothing more than a pestering gnat buzzing around. He had one goal in his mind and that was to reach Aria. He felt as if he would never leave her again or let her out of his sight. He would make sure nothing like this ever happened again and whomever did this would certainly pay. He had thought his dark side had seriously tampered down ever since the Paolo incident had come to a conclusion, but now with this new threat towards the love of his life, he realized that the dark beast within had only been in hibernation. Lucius was getting ahead of himself though. Aria first needed to live through whatever this was and his heart sank to the pit of his stomach at the thought, as he shuddered in terror at the thought of losing his love. If this was a poison, it could be any number of things ranging from mild, to dangerous to all out life-threatening. He had assumed whatever poison used was not instantly fatal, thank the Gods, otherwise there would be no point in her having been rushed to the hospital.

He was able to think of all of this in the minute it took for him to get the Poisons Ward, and when he passed by the first room on the left hand side, his heart sank even further and he stopped dead in his tracks, frozen from crippling fear. He was able to see through the window of the room, almost as if he was a medical student examining a medical procedure. On the narrow bed in the middle of the room he could see Aria.

She looked….dead…no it couldn't be…there were healers and doctors working all around her, well more specifically on her right side of her body. Lucius was slightly aware that if she were in fact dead, there wouldn't be any need for the healers who continued to buzz urgently around her, but they must have put her under some sort of sedation because her beautiful green eyes, which Lucius adored with every fiber of his being, were sadly closed shut. He noticed her cheeks were flushed and he could see that her eyelashes and her face were wet from lots of shed tears. It hurt his heart to insurmountable proportions knowing she had gone through so much pain, and he hadn't been there to comfort her.

The witch who had followed Lucius seemed to realize that he would no longer burst through the room, now that he saw how urgent it was and how intensely the doctors were trying to heal Aria. She looked up at the man with a mixed sense of terror and sympathy and she clearly didn't know what else to do and so she left him alone in the hallway as he continued to stare, as if frozen, into the room where the doctors worked on his love.

Lucius began pacing, his nerves and his anxiety getting the better of him. Lucius usually was the Master of controlling his emotions, especially his anxieties, but now he couldn't hold back his fears especially when he saw her right arm when one of the doctors moved briefly out of the way. The sight of her arm and hand, looking so reddish-purple and inflamed, made his blood freeze in his system, turning to ice, his breath quickened and his pacing continued as he couldn't take his eyes off of the poison that had spread through her beautiful body. It seemed the doctors had gotten to her in time before it had spread anymore past her right arm, to which Lucius was relieved, but he desperately hoped they could heal her.

The healing process took hours. Lucius shifted between pacing back and forth and then leaning against the wall, his head in his hands, as his emotions continued to rage throughout him. His usually pristine and perfect blond locks were now slightly disheveled and a sheen of sweat could be seen on his forehead as he continued to wait in silent agony. At one point during his waiting, he noticed a sketchy looking wizard peering at him from around the corner, a camera in hand. He couldn't believe it, but it was a damn paparazzi from the press. Lucius hadn't been seen since his trial in the broader wizarding society and word must have gotten out that he had been spotted at St. Mungos making a scene. He knew this moment was the perfect juicy story for any press outlet, but the insensitivity of it all made his blood boil. He heard the paparazzi snap a photo and Lucius immediately began striding over menacingly, his wand drawn, pointing it at the man. The man let out a squeak of terror, not wanting to meet the wrath of a very angry and upset Lucius Malfoy and ran away. Lucius wouldn't have cursed him as bad as he would have liked, but he was glad the man was smart enough to have run away. He had gotten his photo and Lucius was sure that it would end up immediately in some newspaper along with a speculative rumor. Lucius was just glad the man wasn't able to take any photos of Aria, especially in her condition. He didn't want this to end up in some awful paper, and he especially didn't want whoever did this to Aria to get the satisfaction…although he already knew who had done it. Lucius knew in his heart it was Narcissa. The vile woman had been proficient in poisons, and poisonings were very common amongst the upper crust of wizarding society; much more deviant than a simple hex or curse.

Aria's arm was starting to look at bit better, much to Lucius' relief. The otherworldly purple was slowly starting to fade so that her arm was now just a sweltering looking red color and the features of her delicate hand and arm were now beginning to appear again. The doctors then began wrapping white gauze over the length of her arm as they muttered more healing charms over the infected area. Lucius was getting more than anxious and antsy now; he knew it was only a matter of time before they lifted the sedative charms that they had her under.

Finally, the group of healers dispersed until only the main doctor remained. He gave Aria one last check over before he brought his wand gently up to her forehead, slowly waking her from the sedative, although it would be a few minutes before she came to. The doctor breathed out a sigh of relief with his final look upon Aria and when the doctor made his way around to head out of the room through the other door, he spotted Lucius looking nervously in through the window and made his way over to report what had happened, to which Lucius was quite grateful for; he needed information immediately.

"Mr. Malfoy," he nodded politely. Lucius always liked and respected the wizarding doctors. They never seemed to mind that he had once been a dark wizard; doctors and healers only cared about helping others, despite anyone's background or history.

"Doctor," Lucius nodded back politely but his breath came out quickly and his voice was strained. "What's happened to her? What type of poison was it? Will she be okay?"

The doctor seemed to sense Lucius' urgency and spoke as calmly as possible, to ease him down. "She will be okay now it seems. We are thankful that her coworkers acted quickly to apparate her here. If the poison would have spread past her arm to other parts of her body with more vital organs, that could have been…well…not good."

Lucius swallowed hard, and pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to comprehend how close it had been. "What type of poison was it?" he asked almost shakily, as his hand came back down to his side.

"A very potent strain of Venomous Tentacula it seems. The venom was taken straight from the fangs of the vile plant," the doctor said through a furrowed brow. "It was one of the more dangerous cases I have seen regarding that particular plant, which is why it took us a while to figure out that it was indeed the Tentacula. You don't have any of those vile plants in your gardens do you Malfoy?"

"No of course not! She was poisoned at the Ministry itself! Someone managed to get the poison past security!" Lucius shouted. His fear was now turning into rage. He would have a conversation with the Minister for Magic himself and ask how such a deadly poison could have made it to the desk of an innocent and unsuspecting worker. He and the Minister had never gotten along and despite Lucius' recent trial, Lucius felt it was in his right now to be the one asking the questions.

"Hmmm," the doctor said, clearly agreeing with Lucius that he too was concerned with the Ministry's lack of security regarding such a potent poison making its way to someone so easily. "Well she will be waking up any minute. We have given her the anti-venom as well as coated her arm with a salve created from the anti-venom itself. I believe she will heal, although the redness and the slight burning may take a few days to disappear. The thing you must be vigilant on is keeping her temperature down. The poison causes extreme heat in the body. Will someone be able to look after the young lady for a few days? I must admit I am worried for her to be left alone, should the fever take over."

Lucius looked at the doctor as if it was plainly obviously. Of course he would be the one to look after her. "Yes I won't leave her side," he said firmly. "May I go in and see her now? I'd like to be there when she wakes up."

"Yes indeed," the doctor said as he nodded politely once more. "I will have the healers come and check on her in an hour. She should be all right to go home later. Of course if her condition worsens, you must summon us immediately."

"Thank you doctor," Lucius said, definitely meaning it, as he then made his way into the room beyond the window; finally.

Lucius was finally relieved to be back at Aria's side. Her eyes were still closed when he finally made his way into the room; he pulled up a chair directly next to her bedside and grabbed her left hand in his as he rubbed it with the pad of his thumb comfortingly. He looked at her intensely as he studied her, making sure no other damage had come to her. She looked beautiful and peaceful despite her bandaged arm, however Lucius did see that her own skin was coated in a sheen of sweat; the temperature of her body must be rising due to the after affects of the poison. Finally, her eyelids fluttered and her green eyes opened a bit, her gaze hazy and disoriented for a few moments until they finally focused on Lucius concerned face.

"Lucius," she moaned out groggily, as she became more and more cognoscente. She felt her left hand being held firmly in Lucius' and she squeezed it a little. She then went to move her right hand, clearly forgetting what it had just been through, and she let out a slight groan and she winced at the feeling of pain at moving it. She continued to squirm around a bit, clearly not quite yet understanding what happened or where she was.

"Don't move my love; it'll only hurt you more," Lucius said as he fussed over her. "My God Aria, you had me scared worse than I have been in years. I could never live if anything had taken you from me…" his voice quavered as he looked at the pain and confusion written across her face.

A few hot tears fell down Aria's face, half from being in pain and the other half from seeing Lucius being in such distress about her well-being.

"How much do you remember?" Lucius asked, his mood clearly shifting to one of internal rage.

"I remember…a letter…it was bright green…" Aria began as she recollected what had happened that morning. "I opened it and it said 'I am coming for you.' Then the next thing I knew, I had the worst, searing pain in my hand. Then the last thought I had was of you. I needed and wanted you there with me," she said as she squeezed his hand again in her left one.

Lucius was having a hard time controlling his rage. He so badly wanted to storm out of the room, apparate to the Ministry and demand Narcissa immediately be arrested for attempted murder…part of him also wanted to apparate straight to wherever Narcissa was and hex her straight to Hell itself. However, he knew Aria needed him the next few days and so his rage and revenge would have to wait. He took a deep breath, controlling his anger, before responding back.

"I am here now my love and I will be here by your side until you have completely recovered. Our soul connection alerted me to the fact that you were in danger and in trouble; I am glad we have that between us so that I was able to be here quickly."

That got a little smile out of Aria, as she thought of the strength of their bond. "I am glad we are able to feel and sense each other even when we are apart," she agreed. Her smile quickly faded though when she had more questions and thoughts pop into her mind. "What did this to me though?" she said as she looked at her wrapped arm.

"Venemous Tentacula," Lucius said grimly. "Thank Merlin it didn't spread further than your arm. That could have been…deadly," he said as he brought her left hand up to his mouth and kissed it fiercely.

"Thank Merlin…" Aria repeated after him as she muttered it under her breath, clearly still in thought.

Lucius noticed her cheeks begin to flush with red heat and the sheen of sweet was now causing the hair around her forehead to become wet. Her temperature was rising. He pulled out his handkerchief from the pocket of his robes and wiped at her forehead; Aria seemed in a daze, she barely noticed him. Lucius looked at her concerned. Did he need to get the doctor? Should he, himself, perform a cooling charm? Lucius hated the feeling of not knowing what to do.

"It's Narcissa," Aria blurted out, interrupting Lucius' worrying over her body heat.

"Yes," Lucius said as he looked down at the ground in shame. If it weren't for him and his terrible past life, this never would have happened to Aria. Their love was the most amazing thing in the world to him, but part of him felt guilty that he loved Aria; had brought her into his messed up and tragic life. "I am so sorry my love."

Aria seemed to snap out of her haze a bit when she heard him apologize. She couldn't fathom why he would take the blame for what had happened.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything to hurt me," she said as she looked deeply into his eyes for the first time since she woke up. She moved her left hand to cup his right cheek gently.

"No, but my ex-wife did. That association alone I am guilty for. If you never had gotten involved with me, she would never have sought to hurt you. I-" Lucius choked out before Aria cut him off.

"No, Lucius. I will never regret loving you or being with you. You have literally saved my life in so many ways. Please don't take on the responsibility of something your crazy ex-wife did," she said fiercely, the flush of her skin growing, causing her temperature to surely rise. Lucius was growing worried. "Just promise me one thing," she asked.

"Anything. Anything and it is yours. Just tell me," he said as he wiped her brow again with his handkerchief.

"Train me to be as powerful in magic as you," she said her green eyes gleaming. Lucius cocked his head to the side slightly not understanding. "We are so powerful when we are together and I want to feel that magic all of the time. I want to be as powerful a witch as you are a wizard."

"Aria, my love, you are already an exceptional witch. And don't be mistaken in thinking that the power I feel when we are together isn't just as exceptional. It is magic even I have never felt before."

"Yes, but you can do wandless magic. That is something only truly powerful wizards and witches can accomplish. I know it may be because of your purebloodedness, but I think you could still help me learn at least some more powerful magic. Maybe one day I can be able to do wandless magic like you," she pleaded. "I never want to be defenseless again."

"Aria, you couldn't have known that a simple letter would have contained a deadly poison. Any wizard or witch, powerful or not, wouldn't have been able to detect such a thing. Trust me I am going to have a very important conversation with the Ministry on their severe lack of security and dark magic detection…" he practically growled.

"What happens if next time she comes for me herself? Once she learns that her poison didn't work. She said she would come for me. I want to be prepared. Please Lucius."

"I will NEVER let that woman touch you! Do you hear me?" Lucius said as he bored into her eyes with his fierce grey ones. "However, there can never be any harm in growing your magic and gaining more skills…so yes I will help you, of course I will my love…after you are healed that is."

Aria smiled contentedly at his agreement and settled back into the pillows of her small bed. Her face slightly contorted as she remembered her pain and rising temperature, and her cheeks now burning a bright red to match the red of her poisoned arm. Sweat dripped down her neck and Lucius quickly whipped out his wand.

"Ventus Glacius," muttered Lucius as a powerful cold air emitted from his wand, which he aimed at Aria's face and neck.

"Ahhh," Aria sighed as the cold air helped her external temperature, although Lucius was still worried about her internal temperature more than anything. He wanted to go find the doctor to ask if he could bring her home. He would draw her an ice bath and have her soak in it. With his mind set on his mission, he left the wand next to Aria on the bed so that the cold air could continue cooling her down, and he got up from his chair and kissed her left hand again briefly before he went out to find the doctor.

With Lucius gone briefly to find the doctor, Aria faded again into heated oblivion. The poison's side effects were increasing quickly in her body and she felt like she was being smothered internally, despite the cool air from Lucius' wand on her face. She quickly slipped back under and her hazy fever dreams then came rapidly, and they alternated between terrifying and erotic. Aria's brain was having a hard time coping with the mixed emotions of her fevered hallucinations.

Some of her more terrifying dreams, of course involved Narcissa, since the vile woman had been on her mind. However, in her dreams, Narcissa's eyes glowed a devilish red as the woman looked upon Aria and laughed manically. Surrounding Aria, all around was the color red as well. The heat of the color reflecting the heat which wreaked havoc upon her insides; it was burning and suffocation all at once. Aria felt herself breathing heavily, as she tried to run away from Narcissa's demonic glare and laughter, but as she tried to run it felt like she was trying to run through mud; everything was in slow motion.

Her mind flashed to blackness for an undeterminable amount of time until a separate hallucination began; this one more to Aria's liking however still with a hint of darkness, which frightened Aria. Lucius naked body was behind her, spooning her as his fingers traced hot lines up and down the right side of her own naked body. Everywhere his fingers touched, it seared hot against her skin, but the pain of it felt good. She still felt as if she was suffocating though, the heat radiating off of Lucius' body behind her like a furnace on fire. She moaned as his mouth began kissing her shoulder, her neck, her ear, and she grounded her bum against the hardness of his throbbing member, which could be felt behind her. Sweat continued to seep from her blazing skin and she yelled aloud in pleasure and pain when she felt his razor sharp teeth bite into the skin of her neck, just like Halloween night when their powers went out of control, only his teeth hadn't been as sharp in reality. Aria moaned in pleasure at first but then realized that Lucius wasn't stopping; he was drinking from her and he was going to drink all of her in. She was going to die. Almost as if her body needed to see the proof for itself, Aria opened her eyes to find a mirror in front of her face. As Lucius continued to drink from her, he looked up to look at her face in the mirror and Aria stared in wonder as his eyes glowed a blood red, instead of their usual brilliant silver-grey. Aria should have been terrified, but she wasn't as she realized as he continued to drink from her, the suffocating heat that engulfed her body was disappearing. Peace was finally coming, and she no longer cared if that peace was brought upon with death as the price. Just as she was beginning to embrace her peaceful fate, her mind flashed again to black and then she was in another dream.

She was back outside of her old flat. It was night and she was walking home. Her body was hot yet again, and she longed for the relief of cool death that her other dream had almost given her. Her heart raced as it blazed just as hot as her skin and she realized with a shudder of fright that she was back at the night that Paulo had attacked her. She could smell stale beer and she knew Paulo would be right behind her, but when she turned around she saw something even more terrifying; a huge red snake, with purple scales that glinted poisonously in the moonlight over head. Aria tried screaming but nothing came out, and again she couldn't bring her body to run fast enough to escape. The snake wrapped itself around her waist and upper body, constricting her so that she could barely breath. The snake's scales were as hot as fire, which burned Aria's body even more; it was then the screams were ripped from her throat. Part of her subconscious expected Lucius to appear and save her, as he did in real life. But this time, he wasn't coming for her; there would be no hero in this dream. "Lucius!" she cried out over and over as the snake constricted further up her body. She was going to die again, but this time not in the dangerous yet seductive hands of a vampire-like Lucius, but by this horrendous beast from Hell that burned and singed her very being, right down to her core.

Her mind flashed again bringing her out of the horrible dream with the snake. She was standing at the edge of a huge cliff, overlooking a vast ocean. It was a dark, starless night, and the water below looked almost black, although it shimmered silver from the reflection of the moon above. She felt completely at peace finally, as the moon and the shimmering silver in the water reminded her of Lucius. Her body still raged with an internal heat, but it was almost tolerable, as the cold wind blew through her hair. She heard a whispering coming from the ocean below and her body stepped precariously close to the edge of the cliff, as if ready to plunge herself to the depths below to where the soothing voice called to her. She would surely die, but for some reason the thought of it comforted her. The whispering from the waters grew louder and she could have sworn she heard her name; she wanted to go so badly into that black water below, but her mind didn't know what to do and so she balanced on the edge of the cliff; one foot off and one foot on. The whispering now grew louder and louder until she finally heard her name being called, no longer a whisper, but more of an urgent cry. She recognized it as Lucius, crying out for her. That made up her mind instantly; Lucius needed her in that moment and she would go to him, of course she would. And so she stepped her other foot of the edge of the cliff and she was plummeting down to the black waters. The shock of the ice-cold water was intense, but finally the burning fire of her body was calmed and she believed herself to be dead. Lucius' voice grew louder, as he called out for her as she sank deeper into the icy depths of the water, until she felt as if his voice was right in her ear.

She heard him so close that suddenly, she jolted once, and was finally awake. Her arms flailing out to her sides as she tried to balance her self back into the real world. The only thing that anchored her into reality was the feeling of Lucius' strong arms around her from behind. He was repeating her name over and over again with concern as he awakened her from her fevered dreams. She wasn't sure if she was fully awake though, because her body felt weightless like it was floating, but she soon realized it was because she was submerged in the large bathtub in the master bedroom of Malfoy Manor. The water was freezing cold and ice floated in the water; to Aria the water felt warm though, as the heat of her body warmed the water around her. Lucius was in the bath with her, holding her in his lap, although his skin was pale and covered in gooseflesh as the freezing water chilled him. She could feel him slightly shivering but he seemed not to notice, as he was fully concerned with her.

"Lucius!" she said as her body and mind became more aware and alive than it had in what felt like an age.

"Aria! Thank the Gods! Finally!" he breathed out a huge sigh of relief as he wrapped his arms more firmly around her. Aria wished she could turn around and stare into his eyes; she needed to see those silver depths, but for now she contented herself in being wrapped up in his arms as the ice from the bath cooled her blazing skin and mind.

"Lucius," she said a few times over and over, as if saying his name brought her more solidly back into reality. "What happened? I've been having the most vivid visions and dreams…I'm so confused…"

Lucius' voice shook as he spoke. He had clearly been panicking and she wasn't sure if he was just scared or if he was crying as he spoke. "My beautiful girl, you've been trapped in a haze of fever for two days now. I've been trying everything to bring you back to me…this is the second time I've tried the ice bath with you. I thought for a few moments I lost you…" he said as he leaned his cheek against the back of her shoulder. She could feel his cheek was wet; so he had been crying, most likely out of pure fear of losing her.

"Two days? But I was just in the hospital…it couldn't have been that long…my dreams were so short, I couldn't have been asleep for that long." Aria closed her eyes in confusion at the amount of time that had passed since she lost consciousness.

"No my love, I brought you home two days ago. Since then you have been in and out of hallucinations. Your fever has been raging. The doctors and I have been trying everything, but the poison had been stronger than we thought it would be. Sometimes I thought the fever might have broken but then your body would become so still and pale, I thought I had lost you…several times," he said as he shuddered again, not from the cold bath but from his desolation at the thought.

At hearing his pain, Aria felt a few tears fall down her cheeks, but she was happy to feel that they were no longer burning, as they had been at the hospital. She felt warm still, and the ice water still hadn't caused her to be cold yet, but she finally felt a cold, clammy sheen of sweat form around her body as the heat dissipated, and she knew that to be the feeling of her fever finally breaking. She also noticed for the fist time that her right hand and arm weren't bandaged and that while her skin still glowed a bright pinkish hue, it was no longer an angry red. Lucius held her still for many quiet minutes, if not an hour at least. He was openly shivering now and yet she could still feel wet tears on her back as he cried quietly onto her as he held her ever more tightly. Her heart broke at how bad it must have been for Lucius; although she had been trapped in her nightmarish dreamscape, Lucius had been trapped in the very real reality that he might have lost the love of his life. It broke her heart imagining him in so much panic and pain.

After a bit longer, Aria's body finally started shivering from the ice bath. Her fever had now officially been broken. She heard Lucius behind her breath out the biggest sigh of relief, as if he had been holding in his breath for the entire time.

"Come my love," he finally said as he stood them both up in the bath, his arms still wrapped around her. "Let's get you back to bed now."

Aria managed to stand up in the bath, a bit wobbly at first, and she finally turned around to stare face to face with her Lucius. As she stood and finally looked upon his face, the poor man had clearly been awake for the past two days, making sure she lived, and it had taken a toll on him. His hair was not as luminescent as it usually was and lay flat and slightly knotted. There were dark circles under his eyes, and those silver-grey eyes she loved were tinged red in the whites of his eyes, as he had been crying mixed with his exhaustion.

"My poor Lucius," she said, as she leaned her head in to rest against his own forehead.

Lucius slightly laughed and sighed out in bewilderment. "Only you could have a near death experience and still think only for my well being…I will never be able to comprehend your empathy and selflessness Aria."

She said nothing but allowed him to step out of the bath and help her out, as he wrapped them both in big, plush towels. They were both shivering still from the icy chill of the bath and so he quickly helped Aria out of the bathroom and back to the bedroom to lie down. After Lucius helped her into bed, he went over to the grand fireplace and lit a calming low fire. He didn't want to make it too warm, but he wanted to help them recover from the freezing bath water. As he did this, Aria looked around the room; it was a disaster, she immediately noticed. The curtains were drawn tightly so that no sunlight could get in. There were various potion bottles and vials all around the nightstands next to the bedside as well as several bowls of water with towels in them. Aria's clothes from the days before were thrown to one side of the bed as well as Lucius' fine black robes he usually wore. All evidence indicated that for the past two days, he had been trying desperately to cool her body temperature down. With all of the potion vials and empty bottles, Aria could only imagine what healing potions were currently in her bloodstream.

Lucius tidied up a bit with a few cleansing charms; she could tell that he was still traumatized from the past two days and he was trying to have some sense of normalcy, now that he knew her fever had broken. She was finally able to relax after a bit, and Lucius finally came up next to her in bed and laid down on his side facing her as he studied her face for a bit. He seemed more relaxed than he had been, but she could still sense the pain behind his bloodshot eyes.

Aria reached out with her left hand to stroke his cheek as she felt the unshaven stubble under her fingertips.

"I'm back now Lucius. I am not leaving you," she said trying to comfort his mind.

"I seriously thought you had left me for a few moments. I had never been so devastated…not even when I had been taken away from you for my trial…because at least then I knew you were still alive and thriving in this world. I can't imagine a world where you don't exist anymore…"

Aria's heart panged with hurt at his words. As she thought about it though, she was pretty sure her hallucinations had hinted at her that she had been dying a few times; the thought sent a shudder through her body. "I think I felt myself slipping away a few times…" she admitted.

It was Lucius' turn to shudder as his eyes closed in agony at her revelation.

"In one of the dreams, you were drinking my blood, like that night on Samhain…but you didn't stop. You kept drinking, and I was going peacefully and in bliss as the heat went away. I didn't mind that time so much. The second time I felt myself dying though…was not pleasant. It was that dreadful night that Paulo attacked me, but this time he was a snake…the color of the poison that infected my arm. His scales were burning against my skin and he constricted around my body until I couldn't breath. I thought the heat was going to kill me."

"Dear God, Aria," Lucius said as he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, as one single tear fell down his cheek. "Your body was burning horribly and none of the potions the doctor gave you were breaking the fever. You did finally become cold at one point, but then dangerously pale, after I gave you the first ice bath. I panicked and just brought you back into bed with me and I held you and kissed you, hoping you would feel me there and come to… that must have been the dream you had about me. Then I am assuming you had dreamt of Paulo right before I took you into the second ice bath, because your body felt like it was on fire. I don't know what finally brought you back to me, but I am so glad whatever it was."

"It was you," she said calmly, as she watched his grey eyes open wider as he tried to comprehend what she said. "Your voice was calling out to me from a dark, calming sea under a shining moon. Your voice was mixed with the waves of the water splashing against the side of the cliff. I followed your voice. I jumped," she revealed to him. "If I am ever in danger, just call out for me and I will come back to you. Always," she said. A few more tears fell down his face, and he closed his eyes as if ashamed. Aria knew it embarrassed him to show so much emotion; especially crying in front of her. He had been raised to never shed tears, no matter what the situation. She knew now, how badly he must have been in emotional pain the past two days.

"Look at me my love," she said, and his eyes opened back slowly. "Thank you so much for being my savior these past two days. I couldn't have survived without you, or without your presence calling out to my soul, keeping me alive."

"I would dive into the pits of Hell itself for you Aria," he said strongly and surely.

"I know," she said as she smiled the most bright smile she could muster at him.

"There is that smile I have missed," he said as the corners of his mouth finally turned upwards for the first time since she woke up.

The two lay in bed for hours just staring at each other and caressing each other, just getting re-accustomed back to the real world. The events of the past three days had certainly changed Aria, and she knew whatever came next, the path her life would take would be different. Ever since she met Lucius, her world had spun on its axis and had changed so much. With the thought of change ever present and constant in her recent life, it both scared her and entranced her. So far her life with Lucius had been unpredictable and shocking at times; but the one constant that would always be there for her and would always comfort her was knowing that she had a man as amazing as Lucius, by her side, for the rest of their lives.


	27. Chapter 27- A Different Path

**Please leave reviews! It really motivates me to keep writing!**

* * *

Aria healed nicely over the next two days, and Lucius rarely left her side throughout it all. He had helped her drink and eat to regain her strength, but as she grew better and more back to her old self, she had to make sure Lucius himself was eating and staying hydrated as well. It was almost as if wherever she was physically, he was too, as if more than their souls were connected, but also their body and their health. She could tell he had lost some weight like she had, although his body was still as muscled and luminescent as ever, his had become more slender through his arms and torso. Aria couldn't help but feel some guilt over how much her trauma had caused him immense trauma as well. Sometimes their connection and love still shocked her from how intense it was.

On the morning of her second day of feeling better, Aria was lying in bed, staring contently at her lover as he worked quietly. Lucius sat at a desk in one of the corners of the room getting some work done, work he could have been doing more comfortably in the library or in his study, but he refused to be anywhere but by her bedside. The day Aria got poisoned he had abruptly left his business meeting, and so he was doing what work he could from home. Over the past few days he had refused to go anywhere to meet anyone; his only thoughts were for making sure Aria was taken care of by him, and him only. She couldn't help but wonder if he felt even more protective than usual, at the guilt over her poisoner having been Narcissa.

As she observed him working, she couldn't help but smile as she saw his brow furrow in concentration and his lips twitch up at the sides in a smirk; he must have been making a good deal it seemed. Aria would forever be impressed by his ability to handle complicated business dealings and to always turn a profit to his favor. Seeing him work made Aria think to herself about her own career, however. She had to admit to herself that at the beginning of her time in the UK, she had excelled rather brilliantly at her job with the Ministry; but now adays she hadn't even spent more than a few straight days there. Between Lucius' arrest and trial, his homecoming and her relief at it all, and then most recently her near-death poisoning, Aria just felt as if her progression at the Ministry had stopped and she no longer felt motivated to return. She didn't blame Lucius or herself, she knew her life was telling her she was on a different path and she was strangely content with that. Of course, she still wanted to be an ambassador for important historical buildings and artifacts and work to preserve historical important things, but her heart knew in that moment she would have to find a new way to accomplish that.

"Lucius," she called to him softly across the room, her voice a bit husky from having been silently watching him in bliss all morning.

Lucius was so in tuned to her every need, that he stood up and was at her bedside in a flash, causing Aria to smile at how devoted he was.

"Yes love? What do you need?" he asked looking her over as if concerned something was wrong or she needed help.

"I think I've come to a conclusion," she began as Lucius stared at her with clear grey eyes, one of his eyebrows raised as he awaited her next words. "I think I want to quit my job at the Ministry," she finally said as she slightly winced, awaiting his reaction. She didn't know if he would be disappointed that she would be giving up and she didn't want him to assume that she would just rely on him to provide for her, although she knew he would in a heartbeat.

His face softened and Aria was intrigued to see a smile appear on his handsome lips. "Good," was all he simply said. "I've been hoping you would come to that conclusion."

"You have?" she said, her head slightly cocked to the side.

"Yes," he began, as he grabbed her left hand in his and gently stroked over it with the pad of his thumb. "I know we have been through so much together my love, and I know I am mostly to blame for all of the hard moments you have had to endure here, but I can see your heart isn't in it anymore…also, if I am to keep my promise and train you in developing your magic, then it would be wise to be able to have you available to be here at home at the Manor with me."

Aria sighed out and slightly chuckled to herself. There Lucius went again with his self-hatred, blaming himself for all of their trials and tribulations; in fact, it was no one's fault at all, but simply the process of them finding the true meaning of their love and all that it would entail. Without their past difficult yet defining moments, their love wouldn't have been truly discovered. Aria wasn't sure if there ever would be a time when Lucius didn't blame himself for every dark thing that happened though. Just before she could reassure Lucius that she blamed him for nothing, he interrupted her train of thought as his eyes sparked in excitement.

"I've actually already given some thought to this, as I had a feeling one day you might have come to this conclusion," Lucius said excitedly. "Narcissa and Draco's old rooms that we cleared out recently…well…I was thinking that you could start your own business here at the Manor. Those rooms can be your offices… or whatever you would need them for. You could consult clients on preserving historical artifacts and places…you could do whatever you would like, as long as it makes you happy. The space is yours my love," Lucius rambled as he spoke of all of his ideas he had for her.

Aria had tears come to her eyes as she looked at the man she loved with so much adoration. No one on this Earth would ever think of her the way Lucius did. No one before him had ever taken into account her dreams and desires so dedicatedly and passionately. Before Lucius, all she had ever been to anyone was just a pretty face. She was so touched by what he had planned in his mind for her career that she forgot to speak, and so Lucius only noticed the tears coming to her eyes, not realizing they were happy tears.

"Are you upset with me?" Lucius asked with a truly innocent expression as his excitement faded. He was worried he had perhaps been too presumptuous of what she wanted. "Of course if you don't wish that, I will always be here. I'll take care of you in every way. You'd want for nothing."

Finally, Aria smiled widely, and Lucius let out a relieved sigh. "No of course I'm not mad. I am touched. No one before you has ever thought of me and my dreams…you truly think of everything Lucius. You're the most amazing man, and nothing you will ever say or do will change my mind," she said as she reached out her right hand to gently touch her fingers against the smooth skin of his face. Aria hadn't used her right hand in the days since it had been poisoned and it felt good to be able to finally touch him again with it. Her hand was only a slight pink color and was practically healed. Lucius must have sensed her relief at being able to finally use her hand and so he gently caught it in his own and brought it to his lips to kiss.

The more she thought about Lucius' idea the more excited she got. What a perfect place to do the work that she loved; the Manor itself was a historical artifact that she would dedicate her life to preserving and loving, and she couldn't wait to be able to help her future clients with the same care and dedication.

Lucius could see how happy she truly was at his idea and he felt a swelling of pride for his beautiful, smart and passionate woman.

"I am glad you are pleased," he said as he kissed her hand again. "I'm afraid though for today, I still must deal with some unpleasant business. Whether you will be working at the Ministry or not, I am meeting with the Minister for Magic today, here at the Manor, to discuss my concerns and grievances over their huge lack of safety for their employees. I wanted to meet with him right after, but I wanted to make sure you were okay first."

Aria's stomach turned slightly when she heard Lucius would be speaking to the Minister, himself, today at the Manor and part of her wondered how he had convinced the Minister himself to come out to the Manor. It wouldn't be a pleasant conversation, that was to be sure.

"The poor Minister…he doesn't know what's coming to him. The wrath of Lucius Malfoy himself."

"That's for damn sure!" Lucius huffed

"How did you convince him to come here to the Manor?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"I think he feels quite guilty about all of the things you have had to endure whilst in the Ministry program, from Paulo to poisonings…truly I think he is coming more out of your sake than mine."

* * *

For the first time in two days, Aria was finally able to shakily make her way out of the large bed in their room and down to her other favorite room in the Manor, the library. Lucius mood lightened considerably when he saw her being able to be up and about and so he lit a warm and inviting fire within the giant fireplace and sat her on the plush sofa in front of it, with a soft blanket and a pile of some of her favorite books; most of them on the rococo period in France. All was well until at around 3 o'clock a few knocks were heard at the front doors to the Manor causing Aria to slightly flinch and then wince as she realized that it must be the Minister. Lucius' calm demeanor instantly changed as well, and with a sigh he got up from where he had been sitting.

Aria was half scared to hear what would be said, as she knew Lucius would be extremely intimidating, especially when it came to protecting her, but the other half of her was so incredibly curious and so she extinguished the fire with her wand so the crackling of the fire wouldn't muffle the sounds of the conversation the two wizards would have. Aria heard Lucius lead Shacklebolt into his study, which was just the next room over from the library. She knew she wouldn't be able to hear the full conversation, only the tones of what was being said. For quite some time the conversation seemed to be somewhat civil, she hadn't heard anything being broken, no screaming, nothing; just the muffled sounds of their deep voices talking back and forth. She so wished she could be in the room. After a while though she began hearing voices being raised, and her curiosity prickled, and her breathing sped up. _'Oh God, what was happening?'_ she thought to herself. She couldn't take the curiosity anymore; she drew out her wand and pointed it at the wall that separated the library from Lucius' study and muttered "Sonorus," which would amplify the sounds of their voices to her. She felt slightly guilty for listening in on the conversation, but it technically involved her, so she felt as if she had a little bit of a right to hear what was being said. She was able to immediately pick up in their conversation and heard everything crystal clear.

"But why you of all people Malfoy, would you care about dark magic being used?" the Minister said exasperatedly.

"Are you seriously asking me that Shacklebolt?! Like I've said before, I think the question really is why aren't _YOU_ more concerned and why are you still focused on me? Haven't you been paying attention to anything going on over the past weeks?" Lucius practically screamed.

Aria heard the Minster breath out a frustrated sigh as he apparently was struggling to contain himself. "Lucius I already told you what happened to Aria was a horrible, horrible situation and one that I have already promised you to remedy in any way that I can. Yes, I agree with you that it was an…unfortunate…event that the poison slipped past our securities; and something I truly will not allow to happen again. Security is already ramped up and I told you our auror team is already putting new protocols into place. But my question is still why you care about this dark magic? Why should you care so bad as to ask me here today to berate me?"

Lucius paused then, his anger building dangerously in him. " _Why should I care?...Why should I care?!_ Again, I ask you Minister, have you not been paying attention? Do you not realize by now that I love that woman in the other room more than anything on the face of this Earth? More than anything in this infinite universe?! Were you not present yourself at my trial when our relationship and our connection was revealed?" Lucius yelled. "Aria told you herself that she was granted access to the Chamber of Love, something that has never happened in our lifetimes or many before ours, all because of our connection! And yet you sit here and ask me why I would care that a dark magic used on the love of my life almost killed her?"

"I…I'm sorry Malfoy, I guess I still can't imagine you caring about anyone else. But of course, I didn't forget what happened at the trial and what was revealed…It is just a lot for one to wrap their mind around, perhaps part of me doesn't believe it can be real. Even for the magical world it seems unbelievable."

"You are right about one thing Shacklebolt. I don't care about anyone else, not even myself anymore, _except Aria_. She is the only thing I care about, and because of the carelessness of the Ministry I almost LOST HER. You better start wrapping your mind around what we told you. Every bit of it is true. Our connection is a higher power and so it might be difficult for you or others to understand, but that doesn't make it any less real. It is the most real magic I have ever felt…and as you know well…I have dealt with many different kinds of powerful magic."

The Minister remained silent for a bit as he took in everything Lucius was saying, until he finally spoke, his demeanor had calmed it seemed. "I never thought I would see the day that Lucius Malfoy has changed. And all because a simple thing…love."

It was Lucius' turn then to be silent for a while until he finally spoke his last piece, his voice husky from yelling and then being contemplative. "It is more than love. It is so much more that it is undefinable."

Aria couldn't help but smile inwardly. God, Lucius was just so romantic and poetic when it came to her and she adored how he now openly expressed that to people. He believed their love to be undefinable, and that is exactly how she felt about him as well. Her love for him transcended normal descriptions and emotions of love. She knew it was because of what they were.

She removed the Sonorus charm and sat back against the cushions of the couch contentedly. It seemed like the meeting between the two powerful men was winding down, and although it had gotten somewhat heated towards the end, it had been, in a way, successful; well as successful as one could hope considering the long history between the two and the subject matter in which they were discussing. Aria heard the wizards exit the room and had thought the Minister would be on his way but hadn't expected the Minister of Magic himself to walk right into the library to where she was lounging.

Aria awkwardly sprung to her feet, trying to be polite as possible, then realized that she was wearing nothing but a silk robe. She awkwardly crossed her hands in front of her chest and blushed a bright pink. "Minister! I am so sorry, I didn't know you would be wanting to see me I would have…well... gotten dressed" She said looking down in embarrassment. She looked over at Lucius who had an expression on his face that read _'I tried to stop him from disturbing you. Sorry!'_

The Minister waved his hand nonchalantly as if he thought nothing of it. "No, no Miss De La Cour, think nothing of it. I just wanted to see you briefly before I left to see how you were doing and to send my well wishes."

"Oh! Thank you Sir. I am doing quite better. Thanks to Lucius' love and care. I wouldn't have survived without him. Truly," she said as she smiled at her lover who stood behind the Minister.

"Mmhmmph," said the Minister. Clearly uncomfortable again at the level of love the two felt for each other.

"Well I am glad you are quite healed. Rest up and recover as long as you need. We will accept you back at the Ministry whenever you are ready," he said cordially as he turned to make his leave.

Aria winced slightly at hearing his expectedness of her return to work. She knew she wouldn't get another time alone with him as convenient as this and so she decided to break the news to him now, instead of waiting further.

"Sir," Aria called after him with an urgency to her voice. "It is a bittersweet moment for me to tell you this, and even now before I tell you, I am almost regretting it, but I must let you know that I am going to be resigning from my post at the Ministry…" Aria said with a pained yet oddly determined expression on her face.

The Minister didn't seem to quite process what she was saying and she could tell he seemed confused at this sudden decision of hers.

"Miss De La Cour, if this is over a concern for your safety, I must assure you, as I did Malfoy, that we are taking every step to remedy our security situation. I can also assure you that you will be quite safe. I promise you."

"Oh no sir, it's not about that at all. I just feel as if my life is taking another path. To be honest I haven't been to work much over the past few weeks with everything that has happened, and I think it would be best if I stepped down and build my own dream; with Lucius of course," she said respectfully.

"I see," said the Minister. "Well if that is truly your choice, you may come by the office whenever you are ready to collect your things. We will be quite sad to see you go; I think you could have done well in our Wizarding Historical Preservation Department one day," he sighed.

"Don't worry Minister, I will still be doing all I can to preserve and protect history. The important work will still be done. I plan on continuing to do that work with my office base here at the Manor instead, however."

Shacklebolt still couldn't hide his expression of shock and confusion on his face. The man looked at Aria then back at Lucius who stood behind him; Lucius' perfect poker face unreadable and solid as stone. He was really quite the master of never giving his emotions away. When Shacklebolt looked back at Aria, she felt as if he was almost accusing Lucius of forcing her into this. The Minister still couldn't see Lucius as a changed man, and it really finally registered in Aria's mind of how hard it must be for Lucius to realize he would truly never change the minds of people who judged him, no matter what he did.

"Yes, Minister I can assure you that I came to this decision on my own and that this is what I want…" said Aria as she stared into his eyes with a confident certainty. Her look must have made him feel slight shame at his silent presumptions, and he blushed slightly.

"Well Miss De La Cour, I sincerely wish you all the best," he said with true sincerity. With a slight bow of his head in her direction, to which she smiled kindly at him, he swiftly turned out the room and left, Lucius following behind him to see him out.

Aria breathed out a sigh of relief, and she found herself surprised that she did. She didn't realize until the deed was done that she had been under immense pressure and stress about her job at the Ministry. It wasn't anything they had done (well besides imprison the love her of life and then fire him) but it was more of the fact that she didn't feel connected to the place anymore and she felt guilty for missing so much work over the past few weeks. She felt relieved not to feel guilty anymore.

Lucius came back up the stairs, a look of similar relief on his face as well. He didn't say anything at first. He just walked straight up to her and wrapped her tenderly in his strong, sure embrace. After a bit, he kissed her forehead and whispered, "I am proud of you."

"Thank you for being my biggest supporter Lucius," she said as she leaned her head against his warm chest and closed her eyes. She had made the right decision she was happy.

* * *

The day wore on and although Aria was always up for snuggling by the fire and reading some fascinating books, now that her life had officially started on her new path, she felt herself getting antsy and excitable. She had been unconscious and bedridden for the past few days and it really seemed like an eternity and she desperately longed for the magic of the love she felt with Lucius whenever their powers were heightened or when their bodies were joined as one during their love making.

Aria got up off the couch and snuck up behind Lucius, where he sat at his desk in the library. He apparently hadn't heard her soft footsteps as she crept up behind him, because when she put her hands gently on his shoulders he slightly jumped. Aria tenderly rubbed his shoulders and adored the sounds of his pleasure at her touch. Her hands then snaked their way from his shoulders down to run over the planes of his chest. She could feel the muscles beneath the black button up shirt that he wore, and it was incredibly sexy to her. She deftly began unbuttoning the top few silver buttons of his shirt so that her hands could reach underneath the fabric to touch the smooth, alabaster skin underneath. She could feel his skin had risen in gooseflesh which immediately caused hers to rise on their own accord.

"Your touch is heaven. How I adore it so…" Lucius moaned in bliss as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes as he reveled in her ministrations.

Aria continued lightly tracing her fingers over the smooth muscles of his chest and brought her face down so that it was level with his neck. She nuzzled her nose into him so that she could breathe in the delicious and manly scent of him; musk and a hint of spice and pine. She briefly took one of her hands away so that she could move his smooth and silky hair away to one side so she could have better access to his neck. When she returned her hand back to loving his chest, she then brought her plush lips to the smooth skin of his neck and kissed him so softly, it felt like butterfly wings.

Lucius' body was alight with Aria's gentle and intoxicating touch. He hadn't expected to feel her hands upon his body, and she had surprised him. His body and mind hadn't minded the surprise it seemed; they hadn't been able to be romantic for days, for obvious reasons, and although, of course, his body missed her beyond belief, he was still concerned about her healing up all the way before they went back to their passionate love making. It wasn't uncommon for them to lose all control with each other, and he would never want to unintentionally hurt her. But God her kisses on his neck and touch on his chest felt good…too good. He could feel himself growing hard, and the more she kissed him with those soft, gentle lips, the more he felt as if he was almost at the point of no return; where he wouldn't be able to stop himself from taking her in his arms, bending her over his desk, and taking her right then and there. And so, he grabbed her by her good arm, and slowly pulled so that he led her body to come from behind him to come around and land gently in his lap.

"Witch…temptress…you must stop this," he said with a smirk as he wrapped his arms around the beauty that sat in his lap.

She looked at him with passion and excitement in her eyes. "Why? Don't you want me? I want you. So bad," she said innocently. It drove Lucius practically insane. He hated denying her when she was needing him like this.

"Of course, I do. Can't you feel my want for you from where you are sitting?" he questioned with a wider smirk, as he referenced his growing cock beneath her. "But we mustn't rush. You are still healing," he said tenderly as he gently grabbed her right hand and kissed the slightly still pink skin of the poisoned area. Her hand and arm were so close to being completely healed but he still worried.

"But Lucius…" she pouted at him as she then buried her face back into his neck and began kissing again. Not helping Lucius' hardening cock whatsoever.

Lucius chuckled a bit to himself and moaned aloud with his own mixed pleasure and frustration. He wanted her just as badly, but he would exhibit more of his self-control now, for her sake. "Here, come with me," he said as he helped her off his lap and stood them both up.

With a snap of his fingers, the precious harpsicord in the library, Aria's favorite artifact he owned, came alive and played the beautiful song Lucius had composed for Aria from when they first met and fell in love; their song. He led her over closer to the harpsicord, near the large windows of the library which overlooked the sprawling front gardens and gates of the Manor so that the late afternoon sun caused the two blonde lovers to shine in shimmering gold light. He drew her in close to his body so that they embraced each other intimately and began swaying her back and forth to the beautiful song.

Almost immediately, Aria's pent up lust faded and turned into a slow-burning romantic contentment. Lucius always knew what she needed, even if she didn't realize it herself. They swayed and held each other for the duration of the song as Lucius whispered sweet nothings into her ear. " _Mon Amour. Amica Mea_." My love in French and Latin. For now, the two were content in this, but knew that soon they would need their bodies to combine as one once again.

* * *

The next day Aria awoke to find that her arm was completely back to normal color. She was quite relieved, as was Lucius, who kissed the skin of her hand and arm happily.

"I think it's your kisses that healed me," Aria smiled at her lover.

"Of course. My kisses have healing powers. Didn't you know?" he joked with her and smiled back.

The two had agreed that morning that it should be safe enough for Aria to go to work and grab her few belongings and officially resign. Aria was excited to see her friends, especially Hermione and Pepper, but also dreaded telling them her decision.

Aria dressed casually in a pair of high waisted navy-blue jeans and a white cropped sweater. She made sure to wear long sleeves; although she had healed, she didn't want people staring at her arm looking for signs of deformity. She used the fireplace to Floo straight to the Ministry and was glad to see no one really paid her any mind. She was glad her incident had been mainly contained to her department it seemed.

As she took the lifts and got out at her floor, her heart started to a pang a bit at having to leave it all behind. But she knew that she had friends still in the department, and that if she wanted to visit, she could at any time. It occurred to her also, that although she loved her department, it really couldn't compare to her love and appreciation of the Manor itself, and so she was content again with her decision.

When she got to her desk, she saw that she had several vases of flowers from her well-wishers and it touched her heart. More sweet then the sight of the flowers though, was the sight of Pepper's beyond excited face at seeing her best friend come back into the office.

"Aria! You're back!" said the excitable young woman who jumped up from her chair at her desk and ran over to greet Aria with a big hug.

"Hi Pepper!" Aria responded back by hugging her just as tightly.

"I'm so glad you are finally back! Gosh I missed you so much girl!"

"I missed you too Pep! I have some bad news though…I am actually here to gather my things…I am resigning from my position here…"

"Wait…what?" said Pepper, her face falling significantly.

"I'm sorry Pep. After everything that has happened, my heart just isn't in it. I am going to continue to do what I love though…just from the Malfoy Manor instead of here."

"Wow…" said Pepper as she absorbed Aria's news. "I am happy for you! But damn, I am going to miss you so much Aria," Pepper said as she flung her arms around Aria again. "Promise me I can come visit you and that you will come visit me?"

"Of course I will! And you will come visit me at the Manor. Oh Pepper, you will just love it!"

The two young women shed some bittersweet tears then, and Aria made her way around the department saying her goodbyes to many shocked colleagues. The one person who wasn't surprised, was Hermione, which was actually a surprise to Aria.

"I had a feeling you would eventually decide this," smiled Hermione acceptingly. "That day down in the Department of Mysteries…and the trial. All turning points for you. It would be odd if your life _hadn't_ taken a different path after all of that."

Aria was silent as she was slightly stunned at Hermione's insight on the whole situation, but then Aria remembered that Hermione was exceptionally brilliant, the brightest witch of her age, so it made sense Hermione would see things clearly, even before Aria herself had seen them.

"I want to thank you for everything you have done for me Hermione. From my very first day here, you were the first one to help me. I'll be forever grateful to you!"

"Oh of course Aria. I have loved working with you and getting to know you…as a great friend," Hermione said sweetly as she gave Aria a kind hug.

"Will you come visit me at the Manor one day? We really would be happy to have you visit"

Hermione answered truthfully, noticing Aria said 'We' as in her and Lucius. "Maybe one day. When I feel ready."

"Understood. For now, I will come here to visit you. And Pepper of course!"

With one more hug, Aria went back to her desk to officially pack up her things. She had actually borrowed one of Hermione's brilliant ideas of the extendable bag charm, and so she was able to fit in all of her belongings into her tiny bag, including the vases of flowers from all of her sweet coworkers.

Aria was hesitant to reach for her mail, because of what had happened the last time, but she noticed no bright green, odd looking envelopes. In fact, the only one that was of any interest to her, was one she instantly recognized as being from her mother as she recognized, the perfectly beautiful and neat script writing on the front of the envelope. She would open the letter back up at the Manor. She knew her parents must be worried, and she definitely owed them many explanations as to why she hadn't been the best communicator. They would be quite surprised at everything that had happened in her life, and she wondered where to even begin. She tucked the letters into her bag, and with one last look at her desk and her beautiful department, including a quick visit to Lucius' old office, she officially walked out of the Ministry for the last time as an employee.


	28. Chapter 28-New Sensations

_Our Dearest Aria,_

_Your father and I have been worried lately, as we haven't heard from you in about a month, right before you went on your work trip to Hogwarts. We heard that was a great success for you and we are so proud of all you are doing over in the UK. Please let us know how you are doing sweetie. We miss you so much and we want to know that you are doing all right. Will you be coming home for the Thanksgiving holiday?_

_Please write us back as soon as you get this._

_All of our love,_

_Mom and Dad._

Aria held the letter tightly in her hand as she read it for the fifth or sixth time. It was the next morning and she had finally gone through all of her mail from work. She felt bad that there had been some projects that had been waiting on her attention and she felt even guiltier now that she was no longer working at the Ministry. Lucius had the good idea to reach out to each person individually to see if they would want to come work with her personally rather than go through the Ministry for their archival and historical ambassadorship needs. If they wanted to work with her personally, that would be a great start to her business.

However, the most guilt she felt was for having neglected writing her parents for so long. It had been about a month and that was the longest she had ever gone in her entire life without being in contact with her parents. Her and her parents were very close, but ever since being involved with Lucius, she realized she truly didn't comprehend what closeness could actually mean; especially being what they were; true soul mates.

"Write them. Tell them you will be home for the holiday…tell them _we_ will be," Lucius said softly as he came up behind her and kissed her on the head.

Aria jumped a bit, startled at his sudden appearance. "Oh Lucius really? You are sure you are ready? What will I say in the letter back? Do I tell them everything about us? Or do we wait until we are there with them?"

Lucius knelt down so that he was eyelevel to where she sat clutching her letter. "Tell them nothing…tell them everything…tell them something in between. Whatever you want. Just be sure to tell them we will be there for…what was it? Thanksgiving? Whatever that is," he smiled cutely up at her.

She looked at the handsome face that looked directly at her, and she marveled at his perfectness, inside and out. She brought her right hand up to cup his left check and brought her head in close so she could kiss him passionately. God, she loved this man.

"Well, I might tell them a bit, but I think I will save most of our story for when we see them in person," she decided. She then thought about his last comment and laughed. "Wait. Do you really not know about Thanksgiving?"

The handsome blond wizard shrugged his shoulders with a slightly uninterested expression. "My dear, I think American holidays go beyond my scope of expertise. And I am assuming it is a muggle holiday as well since I have never heard of it in any wizarding circles. You must remember my stance on such simple things…" he raised one of his eyebrows and teased her as he smirked haughtily.

She rolled her eyes but laughed at his pureblooded superiority act. "Out of all of the silly muggle holidays, I think you will actually enjoy this one. All it's really about is being thankful for the things you have in life...and eating so much food you get sick."

Lucius chuckled at the ridiculousness of it all but he did have to admit the meaning behind the holiday was something he actually had been celebrating himself the past few months; he was thankful, beyond anything for what he had because of Aria. True love was the thing he was most thankful for…the one thing he had needed his whole life but had never been able to obtain. Without warning he scooped up Aria into his arms and held her strongly as he kissed her hard. Aria gasped in happy surprise and let the letter from her parents fall out of her hands and to the floor; completely forgotten for now.

As she kissed him back with equal fervor as she wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders, a low growling moan of desire escaped his throat. "Mmm I do love you so," he said as he placed her back down on the ground but still held her tight against him.

"I love you so much Lucius," she said as she buried her face into his chest.

"Now my love…what do you say we begin a bit of your wandless magic training?"

Aria looked up at him quickly with excitement bursting in her eyes. "Really!?"

"Mhm," he nodded his head once as he smirked down at her, loving her excitement. "Go get ready and meet me in the ballroom."

Genuinely smiling at her ecstatic reaction, Lucius watched as his blond beauty ran upstairs to their room to go get changed, and in about ten minutes the two lovers met in the grand ballroom of the Manor; a rarely used room unless Lucius was hosting an extravagant party like the masquerade ball a few months ago. It really had felt like an eternity since then; both of them now couldn't even imagine a time when they hadn't been as physically and emotionally connected; although that special night those few months ago had really been the beginning of their love story.

The room was dark as the curtains were drawn closed and Lucius grabbed Aria's hand and led her into the center of the room. As he held her left hand in his right, he flicked his wrist and their conjoined hands at the drawn curtains, which caused them to immediately flutter open, flooding the room in bright sunlight.

Aria gasped, not from the sudden change of light, but from what she had felt pass through her hand when Lucius used his wandless magic. She had been able to feel his magic reverberate through his hands as he used his internal powers to open the curtains.

"I felt it," she said staring at his hand in wonder. "I felt the magic pass through you. It was incredible."

Lucius smiled but was also slightly shocked she could feel his magic flow through him. He adored how reverent she could sometimes be with him, and he admitted to himself it really did flare his dormant ego. He knew that although she was always impressed with him and thought him to be superior, she had the knowledge and the power buried within her and that she would be able to accomplish the same type of powerful magic.

Lucius had to take a moment to ponder that thought as it made him think of the their prophecy and one of the lines from it, _"their connection will change perceptions."_ Yes, Lucius' perceptions had already changed it seemed, when he had just admitted to himself that Aria would be able to raise up to his level of power, despite her being a half-blood. His life was so incredibly different now, and he was the happiest he had ever been.

He realized, as he thought to himself, that Aria was looking up at him expectantly, waiting for his instruction. He smiled down at her and then leaned his head in to kiss her briefly before he began. He then noticed she had changed into some very appealing muggle exercise clothing and the way that her black tights hugged her thighs and backside very much distracted him in a whole new way than his previous thoughts.

"Sorry my love, you are quite distracting me in those glorious, tight black pants of yours…" he said as he looked her over with a raised eyebrow. Sometimes even Lucius had to admit there was a benefit to muggle clothes.

Aria blushed slightly and then jokingly said, "Well I can always just take them off if that would be less distracting?"

"My dear I think that would increase my distraction ten-fold," he said as he kissed her again and brought his hands around her to cup her backside and gave it a firm squeeze.

With all of their pent up sexual tension over the past few days since she had been recovering from her poisoning, Lucius thought they perhaps should have made love first, before he went about teaching her. He knew the dynamic of teacher and student would only increase their sexual energy for each other. Oh well, they would try their best their first go-around. He knew it would take several weeks, if not months of practicing for her to finally grasp the general feeling of newfound wandless power.

With one more guttural moan and passionate kiss, Lucius leaned away from Aria and stared more seriously into her eyes. "Are you ready my love?"

"Yes," she replied back, almost in a whisper.

"Alright, we will be starting off with extremely simple magic. We will be focusing on the curtains I just opened. Your goal is to shut them closed again. Do you have your wand with you?"

Aria shook her head. "No was I supposed to bring it? I thought we were going to practice wandless magic."

"We are you silly girl," he smirked at her. "But we need it nearby so you can draw your magic from it. Think of it as a vessel of power. It will be easier for you, as you are new to this."

Lucius then opened up his hand and held it out in front of him almost as if he was reaching out for something invisible directly ahead of him. All of a sudden Aria's wand came flying into the room and landed directly in Lucius' outstretched hand. He smiled confidently and placed her wand delicately on the floor between them.

Aria stared in wonder again as she was able to view his wandless magic so up-close and personal. It was wonderful and she was truly anxious to get started.

"I saw what I wanted in my mind's eye and I took it," he stated out loud. "That is the main principle of what I will be teaching you. Every bit of wandless magic you do will need to be fueled with belief, confidence and desire."

Aria nodded her head as she listened attentively. She would be the best student for him. "Belief, confidence, desire," she repeated out loud as if speaking that mantra to herself, and to him, to prove to them both that is what she would try and think of as she learned the art wandless magic.

"For retrieving your wand, I desired it and I had the confidence to retrieve it, but I also imagined the spell in my mind as well… _Accio_ ," he continued. "However, one of the benefits about wandless magic is that you don't really need a spell to be able to accomplish what you desire. When I opened the curtains, I didn't imagine a spell. I just felt and knew what I desired and thus I made it happen…the greater the need or want…the more successful your wandless and wordless spell will be."

Aria smiled at him as he taught her. He really was a mellow and thoughtful teacher. She could easily see him educating a whole classroom of people, not just one person, and be equally as revered and respected. He was so great and he didn't even realize it. He continued speaking.

"So back to my requested task for you…close the curtains," he drawled in his honeyed voice, almost as if he was daring her. "And remember, your wand will be here for you to draw your powers from…for today."

Aria nodded her head, ready to take on her task. She turned to face the curtains square on, almost as if she were facing a deadly enemy. Lucius took in her serious and determined stance, but noticed she was too tense. She would need to believe more surely in herself. He put his right hand gently on her shoulder, so softly it felt like butterfly kisses on her skin. "Relax my love. You can do this…and remember…belief in yourself is vital. The power is already in you."

Aria relaxed significantly at his touch and his words, and although she stared at the curtains as if her life depended on it, she began thinking deeply and imaging herself achieving her task. She imagined the drawn curtains loosening and then sliding closed. She reached her right hand out in front of her as she tried to imagine her goal as solidly as she could. She could feel the magic and connection that her and Lucius shared and it was that power that motivated her; not her wand, but him. Her wand was useless when compared to the magic of her and Lucius' bond. It took her a minute or two to correctly balance out and maintain the magic she felt in her body and from the magic that emanated from Lucius mixed with her mind's confidence, but soon she began to see the curtains quiver, and as her hand moved in front of her, almost as if swiping through the air, the curtains closed a few inches. Just as she was getting excited the curtains stopped closing and she frowned. She had it! Why did the magic stop?

Lucius took in her rollercoaster of emotions. She had been excited that she had managed to close the curtains a few inches, but her excitement had distracted her and so she had lost her connection.

"It's okay my love. Focus a bit more. Desire it…believe you can accomplish what you want."

Aria re-steadied herself and took a few more minutes to focus. One would think it would be easy to desire something and then achieve it, but she realized clearly that wandless magic really came from strong emotion.

"Touch me…" she whispered out so quietly, Lucius almost didn't hear her, but when he did, he couldn't deny her, and so he reached out his hands gently again and rested them on her shoulder. They both felt the buzzing of their bond begin again upon his touch, and with one solid wave of her hand, Aria managed to close the curtains completely closed. Aria smiled widely at her achievement and then turned to face Lucius, who still kept his hand upon her shoulder.

"Excellent my love," he praised.

"It's all because of you. My wand is useless when compared to the magic I feel when you touch me," she smiled up at him.

Lucius smirked and looked at her tenderly, "It isn't all because of me. Half of our connection comes from you," he said as he raised his hand from her shoulder to her face and cupped her left cheek in his hand.

"It is almost like you are my Patronus," she said as she looked into his grey eyes. "The thoughts of you and your magic touch gave me the strength to conjure the magic I needed."

Lucius smiled again and considered her comment. Yes, he supposed wandless magic was a bit like conjuring up a Patronus. For Patronuses though, one had to think of their happiest memory. For wandless magic, the emotion and feeling just had to be strong; no matter whether those emotions were happy, sad, angry, lustful, etcetera. He wondered what her Patronus actually was though; he knew what his was and it made him curious to see if hers would be similar due to their soul mate connection.

"I am glad I am your happy thought," he simply said as he stoked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "Now that you have the feeling of how it is to use wandless magic, your next challenge…" he said as he pulled away from her and looked up towards the ceiling where the epic chandelier hung from the ceiling. "Light the candles in the chandelier."

Aria stared up at the giant gold and crystal chandelier in wonder. It held so many candles, and she swallowed hard at the thought of trying to wandlessly light them all. She pictured the correct spell in her mind, Incendio, the one commonly used to produce a flame. With the spell pictured in her mind, she looked up at the chandelier with great concentration again; but of course without the immediate touch of Lucius, she couldn't conjure up enough strength that she needed to complete her task. It was after all, only her second attempt at this type of advanced magic and she still needed the power she felt when her and Lucius were connected. Without breaking her vision from the chandelier above, she held out her right hand behind her so Lucius would know to take it and within a second she felt his warm hand holding hers comfortingly and she instantly felt the power surge through her. However, as she tried to will the candles to light, nothing happened. Even after a few minutes she began to feel a light sheen of sweat forming on her brow from how hard she was concentrating. She then heard Lucius' encouraging words, so close she felt as if they were directly in her ear.

" _Yes my love. You can do it. I have always known how incredible and strong you are. You are a great Witch. God I love you so much, I can't even describe how much I adore you…"_

Her heart thumped hard with the surge of love she felt, she saw a few dozen of the candles on the chandelier ignite and flicker with their newfound flame, however the whole chandelier was far from being completely lit. Aria felt drained, as if she had just ran three miles, and she realized that today was just the first day of many, before she truly mastered the art of wandless magic. She wiped the sheen of sweat from her forehead and turned back to Lucius with a little smile and a grimace.

"I feel like that is all I might be able to accomplish for today; I am sorry I wasn't able to light the whole chandelier…but your words of encouragement really helped me at least be able to light a few of the candles.

Lucius looked at her confused as he cocked his head to the side.

Aria looked back just as confused. "You were telling me I could do it and that I was strong and a great witch," she reminded him.

"You…you heard that?"

"Yes?" she said even more confused than ever. What was wrong?

"Aria…I didn't actually speak that out loud," he said as his eyes opened wide as he stared at her in wonder.

"Wait…are you saying I could hear your thoughts?"

Lucius nodded his head in silence as he continued to look at her with revelation in his eyes.

"But how come I couldn't do that before? Can you hear me?" she asked him anxiously. "Try doing wandless magic when as you touch me."

Without saying a word he grabbed her hands in his and looked up at the chandelier. Immediately as he began concentrating and conjuring his inner magic, he heard the softest of voices ringing in his ears, almost like the tinkling of magical bells.

" _Love this man so much. He makes my soul shine like the sun. Would be lost without him. He is everything. Want him so badly. Need him so badly."_

Lucius felt a huge surge of power race through his body and his blood and the rest of the candles on the chandelier burst into flames as they lit as if they had been lit from the fire of a dragon. His wandless magic had never felt so powerful and it made him feel invincible.

"I heard you. I heard your thoughts!" he said as he brought her close again and cupped her face between his hands as he kissed her with an intense fierceness. "You were thinking of me. How much you loved and wanted me."

Aria felt her mind spinning with disbelief as this new layer of connection between them revealed itself. "Of course I was. I always am," she smiled up at him. "But Lucius…I still don't understand how we couldn't have done this before?"

"Our love has proven to work in mysterious ways my love…I can only imagine this newfound connection we have reveals itself when we specifically try and use wandless magic and we are touching. Wandless magic is emotions based…so it makes sense. Nevertheless…it is quite incredible."

Aria looked up at him but said nothing, but the emotion in her eyes was written all over her face. He knew that look, and it was the look of want and need. She needed him in the most complete way in that moment and he knew it. She reached her head up so that she pressed her plush lips to his own, softly at first, but then she opened her mouth and sought entrance to his with her tongue, to which he immediately acquiesced. With their tongues dancing around the others', Lucius felt a surge of power cross through him, which made him moan out in bliss and his eyes roll back into his head. He had never felt that before. It was as if he was reading her thoughts, but they weren't words…they were pure emotion. She had transferred the feeling of her lust and desire into him and it felt like an orgasm, but in his mind instead of his body.

"What was that?" he wondered aloud as he looked down at his lover. She had a wide smirk on her face, clearly indicating her experiment of transferring her feelings to his mind had worked. "Do it again?" he asked almost as if in a question.

And so she reached her hands up and laid them gently on his chest, one of her hands resting immediately over his pounding heart as she leaned her lips in to his neck as she kissed him on his most sensitive skin there. Her hands trailed down and slowly began unbuttoning the buttons of his shirt until her hands found the bare, muscled skin of his chest, and as she lightly stroked his chest and torso with her fingertips, Lucius felt another jolt of orgasmic pleasure penetrate his mind, as she used her wandless magic. Again, he couldn't hear any words in her thoughts, just pure emotion and desire; and he felt it all; to his mind, to the very center of his core, to his hardening cock. It was a whole new experience.

He wrapped his hands around her tightly and in one brief moment, he apparated them to their bedroom, knowing what needed to happen next. He carried her over to the bed and placed her down in the very center of it, as he leaned his shirtless body to hover over her. It was his turn to try out this new found magic they had together; and so he put his forehead directly to rest on hers as he looked into her eyes and with a snap of his fingers not only did their clothes disappear, but Aria then felt the exact sensation he had just felt. It was so orgasmic in its nature but was focused purely on her brain as she could read and feel his own thoughts of pure lust and desire. She moaned aloud and closed her eyes in bliss. He hadn't even made love to her yet and both of them had already felt as if they had experienced a sublime orgasm from their mind connection and little mental nudges of pure emotion towards each other.

It had felt so long since he had last been inside of her and neither of them could wait anymore. Lucius then immediately positioned himself at her sweet entrance and slowly slid himself in. Both of the lovers cried out in bliss at the near electric feel of the sensations that coursed through their connected bodies, and now connected minds. As Lucius began to move within her, it seemed as if their mental connection only grew deeper; and although neither of them was now doing any wandless magic, Lucius knew it to be the magic that their joined bodies produced which was spurring on their connected mental state. Just like those special nights their bodies glowed, in Scotland or on Samhain at Hogwarts, this was yet another phenomena that the two soul mates produced when their bodies were joined.

His cock slid in and out of her and he was so caught up in the feelings of his mind he almost didn't realize that both of them had been moaning so loudly. He was sure it would be scaring half of the house elves to death. He looked into Aria's eyes and she too, looked as if she was seeing things in a whole new way. Lucius supported himself on one of his arms as his other hand came up to gently caress her face, and then moved down to her right breast where he lightly caressed the breast and hard nipple with the palm of his hand. Aria's eyes fluttered closed in bliss at the added sensations of his gentle touch; but then her eyes opened wide as she felt his strong fingers pinch her already hardened nipple which only added to the mental sensations she was feeling through their connection.

"Lucius," she moaned aloud. Her brain completely engulfed with nothing but the thought and image of him and him alone.

"Aria," his honeyed voice replied as he continued to slide in and out of her with such strength and earnest.

"I love you so much," she said as she closed her eyes again with a smile.

"And I love y-" but before he could finish his sentence Lucius got the biggest surge of their mental connection yet and he knew she was about to use some very powerful wandless magic; he wondered if she even realized she was doing it, he wasn't quite sure. His mind practically went blank at the orgasmic sensation it was feeling and as he read her mind, devoid of any actual speaking thoughts, all he could see was her thoughts of him and their conjoined bodies and of their love as it echoed from her head into his. He saw a blue light beginning to circle all around them and he felt a happiness and contentment settle so deeply into his soul at that moment that he stopped his hips from moving in and out of her as he embraced the feeling. The blue light still circled all around the lovers' bodies and finally it formed into the most beautiful blue-ish white swan patronus he had ever seen. Her patronus was a swan!?

He could practically cry and his grey eyes closed in bliss and happiness as he picked back up his pace with his hips so that he could move within her again. He smiled and began using his own feelings of complete happiness in that moment to begin producing his own patronus. Producing a patronus was hard enough with a wand; he had never been able to do one wandlessly, as his memories typically weren't the happiest. But now, being inside this woman, and seeing and feeling their love ever growing and evolving and deepening, it took him no effort at all to conjure up his. And so more swirls of blue light circled the couple until his patronus took form for itself; a black swan; A swan that glowed a dark blue color in contrast to Aria's brighter swan…but a swan nonetheless.

As the happiness from the patronus swans radiated through the room Lucius moved more and more urgently within her, as his body was giddy with the intense feelings. Feelings he had never felt before. For Aria it was much the same as her body took in the intense emotions. She didn't realize their lovemaking could ever get more emotional or incredible, but here they were, always discovering new layers to their connection. As they continued feeding off the other, Aria could physically and mentally feel Lucius getting close to his orgasm, and she knew the second he came, she would too.

With almost animalistic like moans of pleasure, Lucius' orgasm ripped through his mind and body. Aria could barely handle the feelings she felt; she was feeling not only her orgasm but his as well and what she felt was what it must have been like for a man to orgasm combined with her own feelings of what it was like as a woman to orgasm. It was so much intense pleasure it was almost too much to bear, as her back arched up off the bed, lifting Lucius slightly up with her hips. He seemed to not notice anything but the sensations he felt as his eyes were closed shut tight, almost as if it was too much for him to handle as well.

As the two lovers fell back, their heavy breathing and groans the only sounds in the whole universe it felt like, the graceful dark and light swan patronuses continued to float around the room, reveling in the love and connection of their two creators.

"My God…." Aria said after minutes of uninterrupted silence. "How is it that our love continues to evolve in the most mind-blowing of ways?"

"Our love is the most incredible power of this Earth. I know it to be true," Lucius replied. Their mental connection was still hanging on, since their bodies were connected and the two patronuses still remained.

Lucius heard Aria's fragmented thoughts and smiled happily. _"Incredible. Everything. Heaven. So much love."_

His thoughts must have been exactly the same, as he saw Aria's lips rise up in a content smile or her own too.


	29. Chapter 29- Thankful

**Hey guys! Almost caught up on updating this site with my story! Unfortunately then you all here will have to wait for my updates like my FanFiction viewers...but the good news is that you will get it the same time as FanFiction now! :) Please enjoy!**

* * *

Over the next few days Aria and Lucius did nothing but train and make love. It was all consuming and all empowering; the two activities combined together grew their emotions and power into such astronomical levels, that it was hard for the two to literally do anything else. Work went undone, food stayed uneaten and communications with the outside world ceased.

Aria's skills in wandless magic were increasingly growing, and rapidly, thanks to the connection she shared with Lucius, and it seemed like her powers grew off of the love she felt for him. It must have been their Veela connection, which made this new wandless magic so easy for her to grow her skills in. Not only could she now light a whole chandelier of candles in a second, but she could also now produce her own jet of flames out of thin air, which she could wield and control with her hands alone. Lucius was immensely impressed with her growth in such a short amount of time. He had no doubt that she would excel quickly though, once the discovery that their connection aided their abilities was discovered. While his touch continued to help her when she learned new wandless skills, she was becoming more and more independent from his touch to bring up the strength she needed to produce her wandless powers. Soon he no longer physically needed to be touching her for her to complete her tasks using her newfound power.

However, there were many times over the past few days Lucius continued touching Aria as she used her wandless magic because it opened up their mental connection. The feeling was literally like a drug to the two of them; as addicting as the erotic night they had tasted each other's blood. The feeling the two felt when they could hear each other's thoughts was addicting enough, however when their romantic and sexual side came out (which was often), their verbal thoughts would disappear leaving only the mental feeling of pure emotion and ecstasy. This was the drug that had become so addictive to the two of them, as the feeling of being mentally connected on such an intense level was comparable to a multitude of orgasms at once. Those mental connections and nudges they could give each other were unlike anything either had felt.

One grey and misty morning Lucius lay awake in bed as he smiled contentedly to himself. He wasn't sure how many times they had actually made love the night before. It seemed as if it was every hour, the two would find themselves stirring in their sleep, and their bodies would come together, as an invisible yet powerful force needed them to combine. No matter how many times they had made love, it never got old and it never was the same; each time felt more and more powerful and Lucius truly felt that his body wasn't of his age, but more of a sex-hungry adolescent.

He smiled to himself and looked to his left at the stunning beauty in his bed. As she lay asleep and still in the grey morning light, with the blankets half off her perfect body, Lucius took in her wild blond hair that splayed across her pillow, her swollen pink lips from so much passionate kissing and the slight bruises on her neck, arms and chest, where Lucius may have accidently been a bit too passionate during their euphoric coupling. Her right hand rested on the pillow, where she was laying peacefully like a goddess in a portrait, and he noticed she had never taken off his iconic Slytherin snake ring that he had given her that fateful morning he had been taken away to the Ministry during his arrest. Even during her poisoning and her healing, the ring had never left her finger. It touched Lucius that she had never taken off that ring; the promise that he would always be with her.

The sight of the ring though, made him think about the other important ring in her life; her engagement ring. Aria hadn't wanted to wear it to work at the Ministry, wanting to avoid even more gossip and paparazzi, so he had stored it for her safely in the drawers where he kept all of his other precious items; like the necklace from his mother that Aria had worn at the Samhain Ball at Hogwarts. Now that she no longer worked at the Ministry, Lucius thought it was time she wore her engagement ring proudly again.

Lucius quietly slipped out of bed and even more quietly opened the drawer, which contained her ring. He then made his way back into bed and slipped the stunning jewel on her left hand, which was resting lightly on her chest over her heart. After the ring was on, Lucius kept his hand on hers and rubbed over the top of her hand lightly with his thumb. He knew it would probably wake her, but he wanted so badly in that moment to see those bright green eyes looking back at him.

Just as he expected, Aria opened her emerald eyes slowly at first as her lashes fluttered and her eyes focused. She hadn't minded being woken up so gently and the sight that awaited her upon waking was one she would never truly get used to; the sight of the most handsome and noble face staring back at her with depthless grey eyes, the color of the sea after a storm that shined brightly as if the sky reflected off of the water of the sea.

Aria felt Lucius' thumb rubbing over her hand comfortingly, so different from the intense rubbing and touching he provided her last night during their countless love making sessions. Her body indeed felt a bit sore from last night; they had made love countless times and through the magic and euphoria of it all, it had gotten wild to say the least. Aria had never felt so addicted to anything in her life, and last night just proved that their relationship and connection would be endlessly getting more and more extraordinary. Some would consider such an all-consuming relationship toxic, but not for Lucius and Aria's situation. Their love and bond brought nothing but goodness and light and truth, and that was a drug worth staying addicted to.

Aria looked down at her hand where Lucius traced his thumb lightly and noticed her engagement ring was back on her finger. She broke out into a wide smile at the sight of the large yellow diamond back on her finger; she had almost forgotten how absolutely stunning it was. She finally spoke.

"I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to put it back on," she said sincerely as she looked back into Lucius' eyes.

Lucius looked at her with empathy. "I understand at the time you wanted privacy; as did I. But I think it's time it stays on your finger for good now. Don't you?"

"Definitely," she agreed.

Lucius smiled and leaned in and kissed Aria on her swollen lips and the bruises that he had marked her with, unintentionally, from the night before. "I am sorry I hurt you," he said as he kissed each spot gently, willing her soreness to go away.

"I'm not," she smiled as she smirked a little smile and ran her fingers through his silky platinum hair, which trailed along her breasts deliciously, causing him to shudder around her.

Lucius still felt bad about the bruises, but he couldn't help but smirk a bit at her acceptance and desire for the pleasurable pain that their love could sometimes exhibit. He knew Aria fantasized about his dominant, ex-death eater side quite frequently and as always, it felt good to put his dominant and darker side into a pleasurable outlet; an outlet for good instead of evil.

Her skin tasted so good as he kissed her all over, her naturally sweet scent and taste combined amazingly with the slight saltiness of her skin that had been heated by their love from the night before. Craving their connection yet again, Lucius began his wandless use of magic by snapping his fingers, which ignited a warm crackling of embers in the large fireplace in the room. The instant he did his magic, as his hands and lips touched her all over, their mental connection opened up and it was instant bliss.

He heard Aria's inner thoughts of, " _Feels so good. More. Never stop,"_ until they no longer could be heard as words but only felt as pure emotions of lust and love. Lucius moaned out a sigh of pure passion and surrender and Aria shuddered with delight as she too felt the pleasure of the raw emotions between them and their mental link. Just as the two lovers were about to enter another session of all-consuming love making, there were faint taps that could be heard on the window behind the thick drawn curtains. Lucius and Aria ignored the noise at first, as they continued touching and kissing each other in every which way.

The pecking and tapping failed too cease, and it was breaking Lucius' mental connection with Aria; something his body was vehemently against. A low growl issued forth from his chest of agitation, and yet the annoying tapping noise didn't stop, and so with reluctance, Lucius kissed Aria one last time on the lips and got up out of bed, raging erection and all, and made his way to violently rip open the curtains to see what the ruckus was all about.

Low and behold, the tapping noise was coming from a very tiny, but very energetic young owl, which had a note attached to its leg. Lucius sighed out in agitation at the fact that this little creature could be responsible for him having to break his orgasmic connection with his fiancé. The little owl flew into the room and landed on the bedside table next to Aria's, and hooted a cute little noise of annoyance of having to been tapping on a window to get in to deliver its note.

Aria was quite breathless and agitated as well at having been interrupted, but she felt slightly guilty as well, as she knew the note the owl had delivered was from her parents, as she recognized her mother's neat script on the front of the note.

"Sorry my love, it looks like it's a letter back from my parents," Aria said as she untied the letter from the owl's little leg. She reached for her wand, which was also on the bedside table, to Accio over a treat for the owl, but with a slight smile on her face of determination, she put her wand down and held out her hand as she attempted to use her new wandless magic to Accio over the treat. Sure enough, with a few seconds of concentration, she clearly said _"Accio owl treats,"_ and in came flying into the room the little pouch of treats, which was normally stored in the kitchen.

Lucius couldn't help but smile through his agitation at her great use of magic; it made him quite proud. Still, he hated to have missed his opportunity to ravish her this morning. "And what did the note say that a simple phone message couldn't have accomplished?" he said with a raised brow.

Aria raised her brow back but laughed out in disbelief and smacked him lightly on his arm in teasing. "Mr. Malfoy! Are you saying you are actually _condoning_ the use of a _muggle_ phone to send messages? Coming from the man himself who refuses to use a phone unless absolutely necessary. I am quite shocked," she teased.

Lucius couldn't help but smirk again. She had a point. "I suppose you are right…you know I just hate being interrupted when I am in the middle of ravishing my prey," he said as he leaned back down onto the bed and buried his face into her neck and kissed and nipped at her sensitive skin.

"Mmmm," she moaned as she allowed her lover to enjoy her body.

Lucius came up for air after a bit, and now looked seriously into her eyes. "But truly, is everything alright? We shall be seeing them tonight still for that muggle holiday?"

"Yes, Thanksgiving," Aria smiled up at her lover. His lack of knowledge or interest in anything muggle was unintentionally sort of cute, she had to admit to herself. Aria had sent her parents a note a few days ago that her and Lucius would be arriving on Thanksgiving Day. Her parents hadn't pressed her for any more information on her mystery man, other then the fact that they were excited to meet him. They had no idea his age, his history, their soul mate connection, or even the fact that they were engaged. They were in for a huge surprise tonight.

Aria and Lucius had also had to figure out how to travel all the way to Los Angeles. Although it would normally take much longer for a muggle to travel from England to California, it was still going to be a bit of a journey for the two. The farthest Lucius calculated he would be able to apparate them was probably to about New York; about halfway between England and California. He was an extremely powerful wizard, but even his magic had distance limits. Unfortunately, they couldn't Floo, since Floo Powder did not work over bodies of water, and the two had the whole Atlantic Ocean separating them from North America. They had decided a few days ago, amidst their constant love making, that they would apparate from England to New York, take a plane from New York to California, and then while Lucius was on the plane, he could rest and regain his strength so he could apparate them once landed in California, straight to Aria's childhood home.

Aria had luckily been too preoccupied the past few days with her training and her body's constant need for Lucius', even this morning she had been quite distracted, but now that their connection had been sidetracked briefly, her stomach knotted into a bundle of nerves. She was very nervous for her parents to meet Lucius, and visa-versa. Her and Lucius had been in their own bubble of magic and romance pretty much since they first became involved, and now to share their love so intimately with her parents seemed odd. She also couldn't imagine Lucius in her world. She had been so immersed in his mysterious and wondrous world of the Manor and England, that California no longer felt like home or felt like a place of security. He would seem so out of place, and she was nervous that by taking him out of his element here, their connection would lose some of its magic.

Lucius seemed to sense her abrupt change of emotion and he instantly stared intensely into her eyes with a look of absolute comfort. "It'll be okay my love. Nothing that could happen or be said tonight, will ever make me love you less," he said as he stroked her hair behind her ears.

"My old world just seems so boring compared to our world here," she admitted to him. "Compared to what we have here, my old life seems so juvenile…uninteresting."

Lucius shook his head in disagreement. "No my love. Nothing about you is uninteresting. Just as you love to learn about my family's history, and me, I want to learn about you and your family. It's extraordinary really…before I would never have cared to want to learn about anyone but myself and how things could benefit my Malfoy name…but now…with our connection, everything is changed."

Aria smiled, the knot in her belly feeling a bit less constrictive.

"And I promise, our magical world here at the Manor will still be waiting for us when we get back."

Aria breathed out a sigh of relief. He was right. With one more passionate kiss of undying love Aria was ready to go back home…well her old home. Her true home, now and forever, was Malfoy Manor.

"Well…shall we get ready then?" she said breathlessly.

* * *

Aria and Lucius weren't planning on staying in California long. Lucius said he would stay there as long as she needed and wanted but it was really Aria who was more anxious to get this trip over with and he knew it was mainly her nerves talking and not any indication that she wasn't excited to see her parents or go back to California. And so the two lovers stepped out on the front steps of the Malfoy Manor with their light suitcases and embraced, as Lucius prepared to apparate them.

"Ready?" he said as he held tightly to her around the waist. His brow furrowed as he was gathering up all of his strength to apparate them the farthest distance he had ever tried to go before.

"Yes, my love. I am ready," she sighed out in anticipation.

With one final nod of his head, Lucius held Aria even closer into his chest, half out of protection half out of motivation for the strength he needed, and then he apparated.

The two landed a bit clumsily in a secluded spot right outside the departures area of JFK airport in New York. Both of their light suitcases were sprawled out on the ground and Aria's vision was blurred as she struggled to regain her composure. If she felt that way, she couldn't even imagine what Lucius must have been feeling. Lucius himself, felt much the same way as Aria, just a bit worse for wear. His vision was blurry and his body felt as if he had just ran for miles up a steep mountain. He leaned against the nearest wall for support, as he closed his eyes and caught his breath. Through the ringing in his ears, he could hear Aria regaining her composure and laughing out slightly in pure amazement.

"Lucius, you wonderful man…you did it! You got us to New York…and to a secluded area of the airport nonetheless…absolutely incredible my love."

Lucius smiled, feeling pride at her being so impressed with him. He knew he had just utilized a lot of his power, and he must admit that he did feel rather proud of himself in that moment, despite his dizzy eyes and ringing ears. After his vision came back clearly, he embraced Aria and held her tightly as he kissed her on the top of her head.

"Half way there. Now it's your turn," he said tiredly.

Aria knew he meant navigating them throughout the airport and getting them to their flight. Lucius had told her he had flown once via an airplane when he was a young teen, after graduating from Hogwarts, as he had wanted to travel outside of the country, but didn't yet have the power to apparate long distances.

As Aria led them through the airport and to their flight, she noticed two things. The first was that Lucius was most likely in culture shock at being in a place filled to the brim with so many diverse muggles. She could tell he was struggling internally since he had on his perfect poker face of emotionless indifference. She knew this was probably the one place he desperately did not want to be. As a man who not only enjoyed his privacy and space, but also a man who had many past prejudices to all things muggle, being in a busy airport was without a doubt _very_ muggle. The other thing that Aria noticed was how many muggles ogled at her Lucius. She had never experienced this before because everyone in the Wizarding World in England already knew Lucius and also of his past. However, here in America, where looks mattered and beauty was coveted and desired among many other things, Lucius looked like a God amongst mortals.

He had opted to not wear his iconic black robes, but wore tight fitting black slacks and a beautiful charcoal colored button up shirt with his sleeves rolled up slightly so that his muscled forearms were on glorious display, the grey of the shirt blending beautifully with the grey of his eyes. He had pulled his platinum hair back at the nape of his neck, another feeble attempt to try and blend into the muggle world. It was all for naught however, he was too naturally stunning; and people definitely noticed. Women of every age stared in wonder at the gorgeous man as he glided throughout the airport, and even some men stared at Lucius with apparent intense jealousy at all of the attraction he was obtaining. However, when Aria looked up at Lucius, who had been following her by her side the entire time, he was simply looking ahead with a stoic face of indifference, until he looked down at her briefly as she stared and gave her a dashingly innocent smile. He truly didn't notice all of the attention he was getting, and it made her heart want to burst of happiness that he still only apparently had eyes for her.

When they made it to the right gate they sat down in some seats closest to the window, the farthest they could get away from everyone else, so they could have some privacy and Lucius instantly noticed Aria remained quiet as they waited for their flight to begin boarding.

"What is it my love? Something is troubling you."

She smirked a bit at how perceptive he was to her emotions. She also had to admit she felt a bit silly to have become so jealous of all of the women staring at her man; _her soul mate_. "I'm afraid I am embarrassingly feeling a sense of insecurity…" she admitted and then winced at her shame of it.

"What? Why?" he couldn't possibly imagine why there would be any need for the most amazing and beautiful being on this Earth to feel insecure, but he knew sometimes Aria didn't know how truly beyond amazing she was inside and out.

"Lucius…look around you. Everyone wants you. I find myself getting a bit protective…" she admitted as she looked down at the ground in shame.

Lucius looked around and paid attention to the surrounding women for the first time since they arrived at the airport and finally noticed the stares of lust, and he slightly sneered in disgust. "Well, I thought I was the only one feeling a greater sense of possessiveness here…"

"What?" asked Aria confused by what he meant.

"Haven't _you_ noticed that every man here wants you…if I could read their minds I am sure I would have hexed everyone here by now straight to Hell…" he said through narrowed eyes as he looked out then at the male muggles surrounding them.

Aria couldn't believe it. She had been so preoccupied in looking at the all of the women looking at Lucius, she hadn't realized that Lucius himself, had been annoyed at all of the men staring at her. She supposed looking from an outsider's perspective; the two of them were rather otherworldly, especially when seen together.

Aria laughed at the whole silliness of the situation. It was sort of comforting to her that despite their deep connection as soul mates, they still had a sense of protectiveness for each other.

As they finally boarded their plane, people seemed to stare less at the two of them, perhaps because in such confined quarters, their extreme beauty intimidated people in close range, but when they approached their seats, Aria was met with the wide smile of a young man who realized that he was just about to spend his entire flight next to the gorgeous woman. It reminded Aria of her initial flight over to England months ago, where a young man of similar appearance had hit her on the entire time. She had felt so awkward and helpless at the time but now she had Lucius, who would be sitting on her other side, and so she was comforted in the fact that she had nothing to fear (perhaps except for Lucius' strong protectiveness for her).

Sure enough the second Lucius turned the corner and saw the young man staring at his witch, his eyes narrowed into slits causing the man briefly to look away.

"I'll sit there," said Lucius as he quickly, yet politely moved in front of Aria, as he puffed out his chest so that he could take the seat in the middle. He smirked to himself when he saw out of the corner of his eye the young man sigh out in defeat.

Aria normally hated takeoff, and so as the plane sped down the runway ready to ascend into the sky, she cuddled up against Lucius and buried her face into his chest, and instantly felt a sense of calm as he held her. Holding the love of his life calmed him down too, as he was feeling a bit inwardly nervous about flying as well; he had only truly flown once before. Lucius was so comforted in fact, that he soon found himself practically falling asleep, as his body was trying to regain its strength from apparating so far earlier. He could feel Aria's head getting heavy on his chest and knew she would try and rest now too. He would let the sleep take him, since he needed to regain that strength for when they landed, so he could apparate them to remaining way to her parent's house, but not before he did something that would truly be a comfort while they flew.

Using his wandless magic, he muttered a silencing charm to form a complete bubble of silence around the two of them so that no noise could penetrate their little sanctuary where they sat. Since he was holding her as he used his wandless magic, the mental connection between them opened up. The two of them moaned a bit in pleasure as the addictive feeling of their connection vibrated through their bodies, minds and hearts. He didn't know how their mind connection would affect them as they slept, but he knew that this would be the most comfortable flight Aria had ever experienced.

Aria and Lucius slept straight through the 6-hour flight from New York to Los Angeles. Their mental connection had indeed been pleasurable. Both of them had had erotic dreams of the other, and Lucius had been grateful in that moment he had been wearing tight black slacks, otherwise his erection would have been clearly visible for all to see. After they landed and as they waited for their bags, Aria had quietly told Lucius with a flush coming to her cheeks that she dreamed that they were back at the Standing Stones in Scotland and that she had dreamed she had been endlessly riding him to bliss over and over again as the magic of the stones amplified their magic. Lucius stared down at her in wonder as he revealed to her, he had the same exact dream. So that's what their new mental connection could do while they slept; dream sharing. Dream sharing was a powerful gift, as it was essentially being able to still experience things with another like in the waking hours, even when asleep.

* * *

When they two finally got their bags, they made their way outside, into the bright California sun. Although it was November, it was still a perfect 65 degrees in Los Angeles and Lucius couldn't believe that Aria essentially got to live in paradise growing up. He wondered if before she came to England, if she truly knew what the meaning of being cold was.

Aria led Lucius to a spot in between buildings where they could safely, and discretely apparate. She had written down her address on a little piece of paper and handed it to Lucius so he could focus on the address as he apparated them to her childhood home. She had slipped her engagement ring off of her finger and put it safely in her purse so that she wouldn't have to immediately address that to her parents the second she got home. "Are you ready?" she asked him as she looked up into his eyes with nervousness.

"Yes, my love," he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear sweetly, and brought her in close as he prepared to apparate them. Luckily the distance was incredibly short from the airport to her house and he had gotten some incredible rest on the plane, so his magic was back in full force.

With a pop, he apparated them instantly to her childhood home. There was no dizziness or loss of senses this time and the two of them landed firmly on the ground in front of her beautiful home. She didn't realize until she was there how much she had missed this place and of course her parents and she smiled slightly at the feeling of nostalgia that washed over her. Of course it felt like home, but not as much as the Manor now did. The Manor was truly her home; the home her soul had wanted to call its own since the day she was born.

Lucius looked up at the beautiful Spanish style house above them. They were high up in the Hollywood Hills and Lucius could tell that the second floor of the house would provide its inhabitants with an exceptional view of the surrounding Los Angeles area. The outside of the house was grand, Lucius could admit that; of course his Manor was one of the most grand homes in all the world so it was always hard to compare, but he could tell the De La Cours were well off considering. Their beautiful home was two stories and the walls were covered with beautiful crawling ivy in some spots, giving it a feeling of old Hollywood. Aria grabbed Lucius by the hand and squeezed as she led him up the front steps of the home. Lucius heart beat a little bit quicker, not from scared nerves, but nerves of desperately wanting her parents to have a good reaction to him; to their relationship. The old Lucius never would have cared, but when it came to Aria, everything mattered.

Aria didn't bother knocking on the door; she had her own key, as her parents clearly still considered this her home. Lucius wondered if her parents ever realized that when their daughter went off to her job at the Ministry that she would never really be coming back to Los Angeles permanently. A small feeling of guilt fell through him. Aria opened the door to the home and the two stepped inside. Immediately Lucius could smell the delicious scents of food wafting throughout the home and his mouth instantly watered. He also could hear the voices of her parents coming from the kitchen and he instantly squeezed Aria's hand. The inside of the home was just as beautiful as the outside; there were a lot of white tones and light greys, very airy feeling, just like Aria. It made Lucius smile.

"Hello!" Aria called out into the house happily. "We're here!"

"Aria!" her mother called from the kitchen in delight at the sound of her daughter's arrival.

Sure enough a beautiful blonde woman came running out into the main entryway of the home followed by a handsome man who had a kind smile across his face. Lucius could immediately tell where Aria got her good looks from, as both of her parents were very attractive for their age, which Lucius instantly noticed was exactly around his age as well, perhaps a bit younger even. He took in her mother's heart shaped face and plush lips, exactly like Aria's, but it really was her father's eyes that stuck out to him; so green and so like Aria's. It was a little odd seeing those eyes on a man, but Lucius remembered that day that they had magically spoken with Aria's ancestor, the Marquise De La Cour, from the book, and she had those same green eyes as well. Apparently the green eyes were a De La Cour family trait, which would explain why her father possessed them too.

Aria's parents instantly went in for a giant hug at once, all three of them locked in a loving embrace all the while her mother and father saying sweet things about how much they had missed her and how great she looked. Lucius' heart panged at seeing what it was like having such a close and loving family…something he had truly never know until Aria. He could see where she got all of her goodness and love and it made him smile at the thought.

Just then her mother and father turned to Lucius, almost as if they had just seen him there for the first time.

"Hello!" her mother said excitedly and kindly, although he could tell both of her parents seemed quite shocked at his age, as they stared with wide eyes at him and then back at Aria briefly, as if trying to imagine the two together. However her mother was polite as ever.

"My name is Diana. It is so nice to meet you. You must truly be special for Aria to bring you home…she has never brought anyone home to meet us before in this way," said her mother.

"Mom," Aria said with an embarrassed look on her face.

Lucius smiled politely and bowed slightly as he held out his hand to shake Diana's. "Lucius Malfoy. It is a pleasure meeting you, and thank you so much for having me," Lucius said with the most perfect gentlemanly grace. Her mom flushed an attractive pink at the gallantness of it all.

Aria's dad gave Diana a look but then chuckled slightly. "Adrien," he said as he reached his hand out to Lucius and shook it firmly.

Aria didn't find it too odd when Lucius greeted his mother, but as she saw her fiancé and her father shaking hands, as they slightly sized each other up, it made her flustered a bit. Lucius looked divine for his age, but he was still around the same age as her parents and she was sure her parents would be wondering how this all happened, as she was sure they never expected her to go for an older man. Truthfully neither did Aria, but her parents didn't yet know the circumstances of their love and connection and she really couldn't wait to tell them.

"Well come on everybody it's time to eat! Happy Thanksgiving!" said Diana happily as she led everyone into the dining room. It was a cozy room with a beautiful dining table and it was set festively with fancy plates and glasses and garlands of leaves and decorative pumpkins, Lucius smiled at the whimsy of it all, as Diana ushered for everyone to take their seats.

The meal was wonderful and the conversation started out cordially. Everyone was still a bit on eggshells, as no one yet had the courage to broach the subject of Aria and Lucius' relationship, but the conversation was still pleasant as Aria and Lucius spoke about how they met at the Ministry and how he was her mentor. Her father raised his eyebrows at this; clearly thinking Lucius may have taken advantage of his young daughter being her mentor and all. Aria then told her parents about her exciting job opportunities she had in Scotland and then at Hogwarts and all of the great work she had done. Lucius also learned a bit about her parents as well; how they both worked as executives in the Wizarding Entertainment Film Industry here in Los Angeles; so that is where they got their money from, both being high level executives for the rich and famous of the Wizarding World. Overall the conversation was fairly normal, as normal as it could have been. That was up until the end of the meal, when more wine and dessert finally came out.

"Mom, Dad…" Aria started out slowly, making it known that she now wanted to really tell them what had been going on and how serious her and Lucius' relationship actually was. "I want to tell you about us…about what actually has been going on."

She looked over at Lucius then for comfort, and sure enough he grabbed her hand in his and squeezed it as he looked into her eyes with his own. Her parents suddenly got very still and Diana seemed to be frozen, as her wine glass was half raised to her mouth. Adrien straightened out in his chair, bringing his full attention forward, almost as if he had been expecting this to come.

Aria then began the tale of their relationship, only this time more in-depth, making it clear Lucius was more than just her mentor. She told them from their very first meeting at the Ministry, they knew there was something special, and then that night Lucius saved her from Paulo. Aria's mom had started crying at this point, clearly distressed that her daughter had almost been raped. She looked over at Lucius with tears in her eyes as if he was a hero. Adrien looked down as Aria continued with her story clearly in deep thought. Aria went on to tell them about the prophecy, and Lucius chimed in during this part of the conversation to better explain about the prophecy and about the magic they had felt at the Standing Stones in Scotland (of course leaving out the parts about the passionate love making). Then Aria told her parents of the Chamber of Love and how she had been granted access to it. Aria's mom was still crying silent tears of wonder, and even Aria's father looked up during this point, as if seeing a whole new side to his daughter as he looked at her with wide green eyes.

Aria explained to her parents how she was 100 percent sure her and Lucius were the mythological Veela soul mated couple throughout time and that when their love was combined their powers were unsurpassable. She even told them about her training in wandless magic and how Lucius and her could also connect on a mental level as well by reading each other's minds and emotions. Lucius noticed Aria decided to leave out the bit about her almost being poisoned to death, but he knew it was because her mom was already crying over everything else and didn't want to worry her further. Aria came to the end of the story, and her parents could simply only stare at their daughter and at the blond headed man next to her.

"Oh and one more thing you should probably know…" she said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her stunning engagement ring and slipped it back on her finger. "Lucius and I are engaged…and I have moved in with him at the Manor. He made me co-owner,"she said with a wondrous smile.

"Oh Aria!" her mom said was tears of emotion and happiness ran down her cheeks. "My beautiful daughter is going to be married!"

Aria blushed slightly and smiled sweetly as she looked up at Lucius who smiled down at her again with love. Aria had to admit it felt good to be able to tell her parents all about the two of them. It felt amazing to be able to share with them about the most special person in her life and the magic of their love.

Aria looked over at her dad who still remained fairly silent in awe at the situation. "Dad are you okay?"

"Y-yes…I think…" he said with a kind smile and a sigh. "But how…? How can you two really be the Veela couple of history? I know of that tale, but that is what I always thought it was…a story…"

"I don't know dad…all I know is that it is true. I have seen and experienced so many amazing and unexplainable things…and between the prophecy and the Chamber of Love…and on certain nights when our power is physically noticeable…it is the only explanation."

Adrien nodded his head in agreement but still looked down as he thought about his daughter's words.

"Dad you must know the De La Cours are powerful Veelas," she said as she looked at her father.

"Yes I knew there was some Veela blood in our family. Perhaps also on your mother's side too," he said to which Diana nodded her head in agreement as she continued wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Aria you have grown so much, I can see it, and in such a short amount of time. It is incredible," said Diana.

"And I have grown because of Aria…" Lucius said suddenly and lovingly as he looked into Diana's eyes seriously, as if portraying to her the seriousness of his meaning. "Without your daughter I would have been alone and miserable for the rest of my days. She is the one being that has brought light into my life…she has taught me how to truly love. She is everything to me and I will do anything and everything for her."

This caused Diana to have another outburst of happy tears and Aria flushed again, half out of embarrassment over her mom and half out of love for Lucius and his declaration of love for her in front of her parents.

After some more wine and some more questions from her parents about the crazy events that had taken place in their daughter's life over the past few months, the wine and the heavy meal started to get to everyone and a wave of tiredness could be felt around the entire room.

"Before everyone goes off to bed, we have to do our Thanksgiving tradition and say what we are thankful for," said Diana excitedly, clearly inspired by the love she felt from the evening.

"Lucius," Aria said instantly as she looked at her lover with nothing but adoration.

"Aria, only and forever Aria…" he said back just as instantaneously.

Diana smiled and even Adrien had a soft smile play across his lips. Aria could tell with that smile he had come to accept the love between his daughter and Lucius, but she knew he would have a lot more questions. However, those questions could wait. Diana grabbed Adrien's hand and spoke. "I think I can speak for both of us, when we say that we are thankful for your happiness Aria…and for finding your true purpose it seems." She then turned to Lucius. "And we are thankful to you Lucius…for looking after our daughter and loving her so unconditionally. We couldn't ask for anything more in a partner for our daughter."

Lucius smiled at the kind, beautiful woman and looked down in rare humbleness.

With a wave of her wand, Aria helped her parents clean up the delicious dinner and bid them goodnight, and then her and Lucius made their way upstairs to Aria's old bedroom. It looked very similar to that of her bedroom in her old flat when she first arrived to London; very white and airy and feminine. The two lovers got ready for sleep, and then fell into the soft, plush bed, completely full of food, wine, love and exhaustion from the long day.

The windows were open letting in a chilly breeze, but as Lucius predicted, the view from Aria's room and the balcony she had was simply stunning as it overlooked the city lights of LA and the surrounding mountains and palm trees. As he held her cuddled up under the soft down blanket he whispered contentedly into her ear. "I think that went well."

"Mmmm," Aria said as his deep voice comforted her soul. "Yes I think so too. Especially for my mom; she seems smitten with you. I think my father came around at the end…although I am sure he will have many questions."

"We will answer them as best as we can," promised Lucius. "Thank you for bringing me here to meet them. I know you were nervous."

"I wasn't nervous about introducing them to you. I am so proud to be yours…I was more nervous about how we would explain the true meaning and depth of our connection. I hope we made them realize how important and special our bond was."

"I don't think anyone will truly ever understand," admitted Lucius. However he was happy about that oddly as their love was truly one of a kind, he didn't want to share that feeling with anyone else but Aria.

And as the two lovers dozed off into a deep sleep, full of food and love, Lucius had to admit to himself that this was one silly muggle tradition and holiday he could get behind…because all he felt in that moment was pure thankfulness for the gorgeous woman he held in his arms as he drifted off to sleep.


	30. Chapter 30- La Petite Mort

**I hope you are continuing to enjoy this story. I love these two so much. This chapter is mainly smut, so I hope you don't mind. Would love to get some more reviews as it really helps me to keep motivated. I have been having some motivation troubles lately. Thanks!**

* * *

When Aria awoke in the morning, she had almost forgotten that she was back in California, at her childhood home, and that the night before she had just introduced her parents to the love of her life. Not only had she told them of their love, but also of their prophecy and of the soul mate connection. She knew they would have questions still, especially her father, but she would handle those as they came.

She looked over at Lucius who was lying on his side; his back facing her and she was glad he had apparently slept comfortably through the night. The large balcony doors in her bedroom were wide open, and despite it being November, the morning was a comfortable enough temperature for the air to have been let in all night and morning. That was the one thing she missed about Los Angeles the most; the never-ending summer.

She spooned Lucius from behind, her warm, tiny body pressed up against his back as she buried her face into his silky blonde hair as she breathed in his manly scent, which comforted and aroused her beyond anything else. There was something almost taboo to her about being in her teenage room with this older man whom she adored and lusted after so much. Although her room currently barely left any traces of her teenage years, there were still small items of her school years left over and the overall feeling of the two of them in here, naked together, was very forbidden. Oh did it excite Aria greatly.

She began running her fingers lightly up and down the length of his side, back and shoulders and she tenderly reached her arms around so that she embraced him as she then ran her fingertips over the strong planes of his chest and abs and then down to his perfect hip bones and muscles and then finally his glorious cock, which was already slightly hard from morning wood. She grabbed his hardness firmly and felt his body tense a bit and then heard deep within his chest a low, guttural moan of pleasure from being woken up so tantalizingly. He allowed her to continue her ministrations of his body as her fingertips felt like liquid velvet over his awakened skin until suddenly, he flipped to his other side so that he now faced her so he could look upon her. The look in his eyes was one of love, lust and almost questioning; almost as if he wondered what exactly was on her mind. He was tempted to utilize some wandless magic so he could open up their mental connection but she spoke then to him, softly and seductively.

"I was just thinking to myself how forbidden this all feels…being alone with an older man…in my bedroom where I grew up…feeling things that I feel whenever I am with you," she said as she unintentionally licked her lips and looked up at him through hooded green eyes.

Lucius body shivered in molten lust at her words and it truly did feel very, very forbidden. Their age difference had always been quite noticeable, but it was truly on full display now, and although he should have felt guilty in a way, he felt anything but that; he felt his dark side coming out and it made him want her even more. "You naughty girl...," he said huskily.

"Is it bad for me to desire you like that?" she asked as she continued caressing his skin with her fingers.

Lucius didn't verbally respond but instead drew her in even closer, for a crushing kiss that took her breath away as she felt his soft tongue enter her mouth and dance around her own tongue seductively. He then broke the kiss suddenly, looked into her lust-filled eyes one more time briefly before he made his way down her body, to her sodden core, which had been becoming increasingly more wet since she began touching his body all over.

* * *

About thirty minutes later, Aria lay perfectly still, her legs spread wide open, her hair a mess and her skin flushed a light pink from the amount of pleasure she had just received from her man. She had the biggest grin of satisfaction plastered across her face and as she opened her eyes she saw Lucius looming above her with an equally as satisfied grin on his face, his lips still shining with her pleasure that he always refused to wipe off.

"I think my answer to your earlier question is no; it is not bad for you to desire me like that. So long as it's not bad for me to cave to temptation and take you, such an innocent young thing, as I just did with my mouth…" he smirked.

"That was the farthest thing from bad," she replied back dreamily.

"Mmm," he responded. "Now…perhaps we should get up before we end up staying in here all day ravishing each other. I wouldn't want your parents to accidentally hear anything animalistic coming from your bedroom."

Lucius did have to admit her parents being in the house only made the whole situation seem so much more forbidden and even slightly dangerous. He felt young, like a teen, having to sneak around and be quiet with a secret love.

The two lovers dressed before heading downstairs for breakfast. Aria put on a beautiful lace white dress with a denim jacket on top and Lucius looked stunning in a pair of form-fitting navy blue slacks and a white button-up shirt that he left un-tucked, his hair looking perfect as always as it shined down his shoulders and upper back. Aria had never seen him dressed so casually and yet he looked as stylish and stunning as ever.

As the two made their way into the kitchen for some breakfast, Aria already noticed both of her parents awake and busy with their mornings. Aria's mother smiled at her and Lucius as they entered the kitchen together; the two of them clearly being a stunning sight to her mother's eyes.

"Good morning you two," she said as she began fussing over them by getting them some coffee. Diana looked back over at the pair. "My goodness, you two are just so beautiful together."

Aria blushed and Lucius smiled his gorgeous, charming smile and bowed his head slightly in a humble thank you. Diana looked down at her hands as she poured them their coffees, clearly flustered and dazzled by Lucius' charm.

Aria then looked over into the dining room, where they had eaten last night and saw that her father was in there, bent over a stack of books, his hair slightly disheveled, as he didn't even register Lucius and Aria had come downstairs.

"What are you studying so intently Dad?" Aria asked curiously as she walked over to stand behind her father.

Adrien looked up suddenly, as he just realized he had company. "Oh, good morning Darling," he said as he looked up at her with bloodshot eyes and then looked over to Lucius. "Lucius," he said politely as he smiled kindly over at Aria's love. "Have a seat you two…I have actually been trying to see if I had any history about you both or your mysterious prophecy in any of my books."

Aria and Lucius sat opposite Adrien and Aria then spoke with slight concern in her voice. "Dad, have you seriously been up all night?"

"Yes!" her mother slightly shouted from the kitchen, as if clearly not pleased at Adrien having stayed up all into the night and morning.

"I just still couldn't process or even really believe the story you told me last night Darling," he said softly as he ran his fingers through his hair in disbelief.

"You don't believe me? Don't believe us?" Aria replied, slightly hurt that her father doubted her.

"It's not that I don't believe you my dear, it is just that…well…my main question I have that keeps floating around in my head is why? Why you specifically?"

Aria looked at her father with questioning eyes. She didn't know if she should be hurt by that comment or not. "What do you mean 'why me'?"

"I mean, why would that destiny and prophecy chose you? Why did it skip so many generations in our family? Or was it the combination of your mother and my genetics that played a key role in this destiny choosing you?" her father mused allowed; clearly vocalizing all of the questions he had been pondering all night long.

Aria understood his confusion and his questions but she knew deep in her heart it truly had nothing to do specifically with anyone's genetics. It really was that her and Lucius were always destined for each other throughout time; in all of their lifetimes.

"Well, just based off of everything that I have discovered and seen about our love and our past…I don't think it really has anything to do with skipping generations specifically," said Aria as she tried to put into words how to best describe how she knew all of these things. "I think Veela blood does have a role in it however, in both of our families…but I don't think it is something so simple as a generational attribute….I think that it would always have been Lucius and myself,"

Aria became flustered, clearly not knowing exactly how to put into words what she was trying to say or mean. Lucius saw her frustration and calmly took her hand in his and then spoke his thoughts on their prophecy and connection.

"I think what Aria means, is that it was always bound to be us, and while the De La Cours and the Malfoys are families that consist of long lines of generations, this soul mate bond that we have is specifically destined only for us, throughout each of our lifetimes. And while Veela blood in your family, and mine, does play a role, this special phenomena that we experience is only and forever meant for us," said Lucius eloquently.

"And you believe in past lives?" asked Adrien.

"Of course, don't you?" Lucius asked as if it was a normal thing to believe in.

Adrien shrugged his shoulders and closed the book he had been digging through, clearly deflated at finding anything more relating to the subject.

Aria knew that in the United Kingdom, where magic and the Wizarding World was a lot more ancient and rooted in mythology than its American Wizarding counterparts, that Lucius had been born and bred to take high stock and belief in the mystical arts and in prophecies. It was true that in America, the Wizarding World was a lot more casual and modern, and thus, such stories and myths could be seen as quite impossible, even for a magical person.

"Besides, Dad, I don't think we would have any books here at home that would explain the truly amazing prophecy that is our love…it is too ancient," said Aria as she thought of the hilarious comparison between their library here and Lucius' epic library back at the Manor. It could never compare.

Aria's mom then came into the room and settled herself down at the table with everyone as she contemplated her thoughts on the matter before she addressed her husband. "I think Adrien, we should just be so completely thankful that we have such a special and rare daughter, with powers even we don't possess, and that she has also found her true happiness and the love of her life. It was destiny she went to England to find this man."

Aria smiled over at her mom. Her mom truly understood; perhaps it was because she was an emotional and often times dramatic woman, but she just seemed to truly accept it. Her father had always been more scientific, and perhaps even skeptical of many things in life, despite him being magical himself, but she knew with her mother's support, he would come to accept as well.

Adrien smiled, as if finally giving up on his skepticism, but still shook his head in wonder at it all. He couldn't believe his daughter had grown up to be one of the Wizarding World's most enchanting myths come to life. It both shocked and amazed him and he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe for his daughter.

* * *

After some breakfast and answering of more questions, Aria told her parents that she would be taking Lucius to visit the Solemmari School, her alma mater. She wanted to show him her old stomping grounds, just as he had shown her his magical world of Hogwarts. She knew her school wouldn't be able to compare to the glory that was Hogwarts, but she wanted Lucius to know every bit about her. Plus the villa and the grounds were stunning, and overlooked the beautiful Pacific Ocean for as far as the eye could see.

Lucius had also told her after breakfast that he had a surprise waiting for her as well and her skin prickled with excitement and anticipation. Whenever Lucius said he had a surprise, it was always magical.

Instead of apparating straight to the school itself, Aria insisted that she take one of her parents' cars so that she could drive through the streets of Los Angeles and then through the twisting canyons of Malibu so that Lucius could get even more a feel for Los Angeles life. Aria of course opted for her father's Mercedes convertible, as it would allow them to slide the roof back and enjoy the perfectly temperatured air of a Southern California November.

Lucius couldn't help but smile as he saw Aria's excitement of getting behind the wheel of the rather beautiful car. Even Lucius was impressed with the luxury of the muggle item. If there was one muggle invention he could appreciate, it was a nice car. As Aria drove them across the hills and colorful streets of Los Angeles, their blond hair and celebrity like beauty drew a lot of attention from the drivers around them, but the two as usual, only had eyes for the other.

Aria loved seeing such a casual Lucius against the backdrop of the sunny California mountains and streets, his button up shirt rolled up at the sleeves, his gorgeous hair tied behind his neck and the sun shining upon him. However, she did realize with a little smile to herself that he was still out of place, and that England would still be the place he belonged the most. And now, forever and for always, England would be her home as well. Being home in California now just didn't feel the same. She had thought she would always one day come back to California; perhaps work at one of the many museums in Los Angeles, but after her almost four months of living and working in England, and then finding the love her life (and her many other lives), there was no question about it; England was where she belonged and would stay until the day she died, by Lucius' side.

After driving through the winding canyon as they crossed over from the busy Los Angeles streets, to the secluded and almost wilderness type setting of Malibu, Lucius leaned forward in his seat to take in the remarkable view of the green sprawling mountains to either side of them, and in front of them, the most spectacular view of the deep blue Pacific Ocean.

"It is rather stunning," Lucius said aloud as he took in the view. Aria smiled widely at his approval.

"We are almost to Solemmari. Just wait and see, it is simply stunning."

Sure enough as they got closer towards the end of the canyon, Aria turned an abrupt and immediate left, which slightly jolted Lucius, as he clutched to the side of the car.

"Sorry! That part is always so sudden! This road is hidden to muggles, and if you don't know where to look you could miss it too! I haven't been here in an age, so I almost missed it myself," Aria giggled as she drove them up another winding hill.

Lucius seemed to laugh out slightly nervously as she drove them higher and higher up another hill. "Must all roads in Los Angeles be so damn winding?"

Aria laughed and reached out one of her hands to put on his knee as she stroked it comfortingly. "No…only in Malibu," she smirked. "But look."

Sure enough Lucius saw a beautiful villa coming in to view, with its stark white walls, Spanish style burnt orange roof, and white marble columns all around. It looked like a Greek or Spanish pleasure palace. It was stunning as it was surrounded by lush green mountains and palm trees, and the all encompassing view of the Pacific Ocean was a mesmerizing deep blue color, as the magic from the school seemed to amplify the colors of their surroundings. Aria parked the car outside of the grand iron gates, which appeared to be closed and locked, and Lucius then wondered if Aria hadn't realized the school was closed for the holiday weekend.

Aria saw his look of concern but then smiled softly. "Don't worry. Once a Solemmari student, always a Solemmari student," she said as she laid her hands gently on the lock, which immediately opened at her touch.

"And they don't mind we are here?" Lucius asked. He knew Hogwarts was a school that was always open to its students on the holidays, but he wasn't sure how it was at her school.

"No, of course not. Some students may have even stayed back for the holiday. Just like Hogwarts," she reassured him. "Now common. I can't wait to show you," she said as she grabbed his hand tenderly and led him through the open gates and up the small dirt path towards the front entrance of the school.

For a few hours, Aria showed Lucius the ins and outs of the school, as she held his hand the entire time. For once Lucius truly felt free; free to be holding hands with the love of his life with no questions, no press or paparazzi and no having to look behind his back for signs of sabotage. It gave Lucius a sense of calm, and perhaps it was the mix of the breezy sea air that seemed to permeate the school or the fact that the grey and white marble hallways had a serene feeling to them, as the large glass windows surrounded them all around giving them a 360 degree view of the ocean; all in all, Lucius could see that going to school at Solemmari truly must have been a special experience and he could see how the experience of attending this small school contributed to Aria's warm and calming personality.

Lucius learned that unlike Hogwarts, Solemmari had no individual houses. Everyone at the school wore the same colors in their uniforms, and although Aria told him that there was friendly competition amongst in the athletic programs at the school, everyone knew at the end of the day they were all a Solemmari student. The few people Lucius and Aria saw at the school; some students and some teachers, gave them warm smiles as they passed by, giving them no mind as to why they were there. As Aria had said down when they first drove up to the villa, no muggles could penetrate the wards that surrounded the school and only a true Solemmari student, alumni or teacher could be granted access.

"Now for my favorite part of the whole school," she said with a glint in her eye as she led Lucius out into a gorgeous courtyard; the school surrounding them on either side, with a giant pool of a fountain stretched out in front of them. It definitely reminded Lucius a lot of his gardens back at the Manor, with the perfectly manicured hedges and rose bushes and fountains. He could now see why Aria loved his gardens so much. She led him to the end of the courtyard, which opened out into a large stone overlook area, which gave them an endless view of the sea. It was around 4 o'clock in the afternoon and the sun was just beginning to set and the light cast a burning orange glow across the deep blue water.

Lucius just looked out at the gorgeous scene for quite a while, mesmerized by its beauty. The sight of so much beauty reminded him of how he felt every time he looked at Aria. It was as if she had all the beauty of the sun and the sea in her soul.

"This view is almost as beautiful as you," he said as he turned to her with a smirk and his own glint in his eye.

"Lucius," she said as she slightly rolled her eyes at the cheesy line; although she adored it with every fiber of her being. She leaned in closer to him and embraced him as she laid her head against his shoulder and stared off into the distance at the never-ending ocean and lowering golden sun.

Lucius held her as he felt more at peace than ever. "You know this school is rather romantic. It's a wonder you never fell in love here, with this setting as your backdrop…" he mused aloud.

Aria chuckled a bit at his thoughts. "Oh, that is something that never even crossed my mind here, I can assure you. There was no one here at this school that…piqued my interest. No one was ever the right match…. until you of course. You are the first and only man I will fall in love with," she said confidently as she turned to face him square on.

"And you are the only woman I have ever truly loved," he said as he brushed some of her hair behind her ear and cupped her face tenderly as he leaned in for a romantic and soul-melting kiss. As he pulled away from the kiss he looked into her eyes and was practically frozen at the sight of those green depths with the reflection of the golden sun burning in the middle. "Thank you for showing me your beautiful school, my love…but now I want to take you to your surprise before the sun officially sets," he said looking out towards the horizon as if he was running out of time.

Aria smiled, eager to get going to see what her surprise was. "Okay, let's get the car," she said as she began leading him back towards the entrance.

"No; I'll apparate us there…it'll be quicker. Plus a car won't be able to reach where I am taking you," he smirked.

Aria cocked her head in even more eagerness and bit her lower lip in anxious anticipation.

"Don't worry my love, I will apparate us back here after to retrieve the car. For now, hold on tight," he said as he brought her in close, so he could apparate them to his intended destination. Aria acquiesced immediately, and with a pop, they were off.

* * *

They landed firmly on a hard surface. Lucius held on to her tightly, his feet were sure and grounded but she immediately felt whatever she was standing on was moving and swaying beneath her feet, and she immediately clutched tighter to Lucius by instinct, not knowing what was happening.

"It's okay my love. Open your eyes," he said as he tried to pry her arms loose from his midsection.

Aria slowly opened her eyes, but remained glued to Lucius as she tried to balance her footing. All around for as far as the eye could see was vast ocean; the color a purple-ish blue against the gold of the setting sun. She looked around at what she stood on and gasped as she realized her and Lucius were standing on the bow of one of the most luxurious and impressive yachts she had ever seen.

"Lucius…oh my….oh my god!" she said, sounding so incredibly American it was laughable. Lucius, in fact, did laugh at her reaction.

"Surprised?" he asked with a wicked smirk upon his face. He knew he had done extremely well.

"Yes!" she said as she turned around in a slow circle taking in the glorious yacht and the 360-degree view of the ocean. How did he get it all the way out here without having left her side? It was already anchored and docked and there was already a sublime dinner of oysters and charcuterie prepared waiting for them set up on a blanket next to where they stood. Candles lined all around the bow of the boat and twinkling lights lined the railing on all sides. "But how?!"

"My dear, you know I have the best connections…those connections aren't limited to just the UK…. plus someone owed me a favor," he said slyly.

Aria decided that she wouldn't press him for more information about it right now. She was too stunned at his romantic gesture.

Aria looked at her lover, he stood there proudly in his light button up shirt, his muscular forearms, chest, face and hair almost glowing in the sunset. He was beautiful, he was pure magic and he was hers.

"Thank you Lucius. This is so amazing," she said with so much love in her eyes.

He bowed his head slightly, as an acceptance of her appreciation and he motioned for her to sit with him on the blanket at the head of the boat. The oysters were incredible. Chilled to just the right temperature and flavored delicately, so as not to mask the natural flavors. Aria and Lucius ate in complete bliss as they sipped champagne and watched the sun sink lower and lower into the horizon of the ocean.

"You know they always say oysters are an aphrodisiac…" Aria laughed as she looked at all of the empty shells of eaten oysters.

"As if I didn't know that little tidbit," Lucius joked. "However…I don't think we ever have need of added aphrodisiacs when it comes to our love," he said as he put down his glass of champagne and leaned in to kiss her slowly. She tasted sweet and salty on her lips, from her natural taste mixed with the saltiness of their dinner. Lucius never thought much on the old wives tale about oysters being an aphrodisiac, but now as he kissed his love sensually and slowly, he felt himself growing increasingly hard, finally it got to a point where it was rather painful being restrained in his pants. He ached to be released, and it made him rethink about the aphrodisiac aspect.

As he kissed Aria like there was no tomorrow, his left hand soon found its way to her velvet skin of her thigh. She was wearing that white lacy dress he adored so much and his hand snaked its way up her inner thigh until it rested at her warm core. Just a thin, lacy layer separated his fingers from their goal, and he nimbly ducked his fingers under the thin fabric and sighed out a moan of delight as he felt her wetness directly upon his fingertips. She was soaking and it delighted him to no end to hear her scream out into the vast nothingness around them as she felt him begin to slowly circle her clit with his drenched fingers. He leaned them back so that he embraced her against his body with his right hand, as his other hand continued its work of driving Aria nearly insane with the pleasure of his amazing fingers upon her.

Soon though, he heard Aria's soft voice in his ear whisper, "Now let me…" and before he could ask what she meant, she had managed to position herself above him so that she now straddled him. She immediately stripped off her jean jacket and dress, and then squirmed out of her lace panties, which were now completely soaked from Lucius' touch. As she was stripping Lucius had began unbutton his shirt, and it now lay open, revealing his gorgeous muscular chest and torso. He began to reach down to his pants, to release his straining cock, but Aria beat him to it and her hands were already at his button and zipper, and he breathed out a sigh of pleasure and relief when his cock sprung out of his pants, finally free of its constraints.

Aria smiled to herself at the sight and bit her lower lip in anticipation, something Lucius always adored when she did. "Now to pay you back for this morning," she said seductively.

Of course Lucius remembered this morning; he had given her divine pleasure with his mouth, his absolute favorite pastime; and he absolutely never expected anything in return, as it was his absolute pleasure to give her orgasm after orgasm. Before he could protest, or tell her repayment wasn't expected or needed, he felt her warm mouth engulf the upper half of his iron-hard shaft. Her wet, skilled tongue swirling magically around his head. He moaned out into the air around them, the only other sounds to be heard were the lapping of the soft waves against the side of the boat. They were the only two beings for miles and miles

Aria's sweet mouth loved Lucius like she never had before. She adored his taste and his girth in her mouth was all encompassing and made her smile internally at how virile and big he was. She wanted to make it last and so she made sure she took her time with him. Swirling her tongue around his head, stroking him up and down not only with her mouth but also with her hand. She would look up at him every once and a while and see that he was staring with grey hooded eyes up into the sky, as if he was looking into the gates of heaven themselves. As the sky faded an even deeper shade of purple-blue, silver stars began to show themselves, scattered across the early night sky. It was rare to see stars in Los Angeles, but Lucius had docked the yacht so far out into the Pacific Ocean, that the cosmos above were crystal clear.

He barely made any noise, as she continued swirling her tongue around him and sucking him, his eyes were now closed tight however, and little sighs were escaping his lips with regularity. He was getting into a rhythm and if she didn't stop soon, he would be past the point of no return.

Soon Aria heard her name escape his lips almost urgently. "Aria…Aria…" he said as he put his right hand gently under her chin to stop her motions.

She looked up at him as if confused why he had stopped her. He had been so close. But then she saw the need in his eyes; he wanted more of her.

"Need all of you," he practically whispered out into the night air.

Aria said nothing but raised her body up so that she straddled his hips and slowly lowered herself onto his throbbing and ready cock.

Again, he made no louder sounds other than a sensual sigh, as his eyes closed once more. He seemed to be at such peace, that he couldn't bear to make any sound that would disrupt the intimate moment of their contentment together. She moved slowly on him; not wanting to put him over the edge she already knew he was so close to, thanks to her earlier ministrations. As for her, the slow and steady movement of her hips, going up and down, brought her increasingly up to his level of pleasure, as she could feel every large inch of him with every hitch up and down of her hips.

The steady and consistent motion was heavenly but soon she felt Lucius grab her hips firmly and in one solid and swift motion he had somehow managed to flip them over so that she was now on the bottom and he was on top. He didn't slip out of her at all during this impressive move of his and Aria smiled up at her lover with stars and wonder in her eyes. The moon had made its debut as well, and the light from it shone behind his platinum head, causing it to look like he had a glow of a halo surrounding him. He didn't know it, and he would never agree with it, but he was an angel in that moment to Aria. Despite his past and his reputation, he was good. Aria couldn't stop smiling up at him, and he answered her with a silent smile of his own.

His pace picked up as he thrust into her more urgently. He had been at the precipice for so long now, ever since she had sucked him to perfection before they combined bodies as one and he knew he needed his release soon…but not until she had hers.

While his thrusts were more fast then before, he made sure he thrust deep and firm each time, filling her up to the brim with his manhood, causing the base of cock to rub up against her clit perfectly with each thrust. They had been in quiet bliss, but now with Lucius' perfect technique drawing Aria closer to her orgasm, her sighs became moans, and then those moans became screams of pleasure.

Lucius remained quiet still, but the look on his face screamed lust as his eyes burned with a glow of passion and his brow furrowed into one of pure concentration, not only for getting his love to her bliss, but for holding on to release his own as well. If there was one thing for certain about Lucius Malfoy however, it was that he was an amazing lover, and within moments Aria was clutching to his pale back, as she shuddered and quivered all around him, her orgasm coming out in endless waves of pleasure.

Lucius looked down at the exquisite beauty underneath him; it was always the most beautiful thing in the world to him when she orgasmed; and to know that he was the one to do that to her only made him more aroused and hard. And it was finally then that he let loose and sped up his thrusts to practically inhumane speed, as he began letting out moans of the most masculine pleasure and power.

His quick movements inside of her, made her scream out again as she continued to ride out her deep orgasm and soon enough, with the stars above shining brightly, Lucius came into her, powerfully and intensely. Aria reveled in his absolute surrender and release as he practically collapsed on top of her as his seed continued to shoot up into her and she held him tightly.

As Aria held him and stared up into the night sky, it reminded her of a French saying. The French often call orgasms "la petite mort;" the little death. And she could now definitely see why. Every time her and Lucius made love and made each other it felt like the two of them would each die from the pure pleasure of their connection only to be reborn and made into better versions of themselves.


	31. Chapter 31- Winter Solstice

**Hi all! Sorry it's taken longer than usual. Haven't been feeling very inspired lately. Another smutty chapter, but very magical and romantic. Warning that it does have "interesting" romantic scenes as before when these two were back at Hogwarts. With Halloween coming up I just couldn't help myself. I find it oddly hot...sorry! haha.**

**Anyways please do review. It REALLY helps motivate me to keep writing.**

**Thanks!**

* * *

Lucius and Aria had spent another day in California before they made their way back home to England and back to the comforts of their Manor. Lucius had truly enjoyed spending time in California with Aria, getting to know her parents and her past, but he couldn't help the feeling of immense comfort at being back home. It had been so many decades of feeling so uncomfortable, so cold, in his Manor, that it was always such a surprise now at how much he looked forward to coming back home and just being free with Aria to do as they pleased and to live happily.

The only room that had still seemed tainted was the drawing room, and if Lucius could magically eliminate that room from his Manor and his life, he would have been only too happy. However, as the first day of the month of December came, Lucius' mind and heart about the room couldn't help but change slightly as he saw the warmth and love Aria had put into the room. The whole day the young, bright witch happily began decorating the entire Manor for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Everywhere she could, she had strung beautiful fresh pine garlands and had enchanted romantic, soft glowing lights to sparkle and shine amongst the greenery.

Magically made ornaments in brilliant shades of gold and silver hung all about and the typically darker hallways of the Manor gleamed with holiday cheer and light, even Lucius himself, who usually detested Christmas, couldn't help but slightly smile at how much Aria _**adored**_ Christmas.

That December 1st, the morning that Aria had gone on her decorating spree, she had awoken Lucius by cuddling up close to his body and kissing him all over. As he turned to her groggily, but with a smile on his face, he saw the excitement in her eyes as she immediately asked him if they could go cut down some trees in the forest that bordered his home to use as Christmas trees for the Manor. Lucius had protested at first, saying he absolutely abhorred Christmas, but he couldn't deny the pout of her lips and the puppy-dog eyes she gave him, and so with a sigh, he of course acquiesced to her request; he would never deny her of anything she truly desired.

And so, as the first light dustings of snow began to fall from the sky, the couple had walked hand in hand, across the vast gardens of the Malfoy Estate, and into the nearby forest, which had an ancient air about it; an ancient air that was full of magic. The two didn't have to wander far, as Aria had spotted her three perfect trees immediately. They were each about twelve feet tall, and were such a vibrant green, they reminded Lucius of Aria's equally as vibrant eyes.

Lucius smirked at her enthusiasm as she pointed at the trees that she desired, and with a swish of his wand, the three trees were cut perfectly at the base and levitated in mid-air so that Lucius could have the trees follow them magically back into the Manor. Aria had offered to help levitate the trees, as levitating objects could surprisingly be very taxing, however, he simply shook his head and smiled as he lead the way back to the Manor. Aria followed him along, giddy and smiling the whole way, her excitement only being enhanced by her first real snowfall experience. Aria had told Lucius once that she had never been to the snow, or even seen actual snow, something which practically made his brain explode with shock when she had told him, however after their Los Angeles trip, he could see how snow never would be possible in a place like that.

When the two emerged back into the warm embrace of the Manor, the two smiled at each other as they stood in the entryway to the vast house. Lucius adored how Aria's cheeks and nose were tinged a bright pink from the nip of cold and snow from the outside, and Aria admired Lucius just as much as she saw the soft flakes of snow beginning to melt into his almost as white hair.

Aria had told Lucius of her vision for where she wanted the trees. One tree was to be placed in the grand entryway, and so it was there Lucius put the tallest of the trees. This magnificent tree would greet them as they went in and out of the Manor, bringing them joy as they left and came back home. Aria asked the next tree to be put in their favorite room, the library, where they spent a majority of their time cuddled up by the fire, working, and very often, making passionate love on every available surface. The last tree, Aria had asked to be put in the drawing room. Lucius froze when she had said that was where she wanted her last tree.

"No…no I don't think that is a good spot my love…" he had said hesitantly.

"Please," she said as she put a comforting hand on his arm. "You'll see…it'll be beautiful."

Lucius still had made no move to put the tree in that dreaded room, but the look in her determined eyes told him she wanted to prove to him she could remake that room into something beautiful and happy once again, and so rather reluctantly he put the last tree by the grand fireplace in the room and immediately walked out; he would let Aria work her magic as he avoided the room at all costs.

After her decorating spree, Lucius couldn't help but admit that her holiday cheer had brought such a warm feeling to his cold soulless feeling he usually got around the holidays. It just further proved that being with Aria would change his perception of things and that his horrible past was ever slowly fading away to his bright future. Even the drawing room felt different, when he went to see what magic she had done inside the room he smiled broadly as the whole room glowed a sparking gold from the lights on the tree, to the floating ornaments, to the crackling fire, the room was a completely different place.

Lucius held her close as he admired her work and he kissed the top of her head.

"You brought your light to the Manor, and it is beautiful," he said romantically.

Aria smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder as she held him back and admired her work. The whole Manor smelled divine, like a crisp winter's forest and fires crackled in every room, warming up the place with a comfort that sank deep into her bones. She was happy Lucius approved. She wanted to bring him some holiday cheer for once and she was glad her decorating had warmed him a bit to the thought of a happy Christmas.

The days went by and Aria happily had a brief cavalcade of work flow in; mainly from Lucius' high-up connections with the richest of pure blood families, who wanted to have some last minute artifacts analyzed and preserved to determine their rarity, so that they could be later given as impressive Christmas gifts. Aria was summoned directly to the other grand manors of the Wizarding World in England. Every epic home she went to was a delight to her senses as all of the homes directly appealed to the historical side of her brain. So many rare and special artifacts were at her fingertips and although she was used to being around so many amazing things at Malfoy Manor, it was a special treat seeing some other impressive homes of the upper-crust Wizarding Society.

Aria did her work diligently as she catalogued and analyzed the items, however she couldn't help but feel as if she always had eyes watching her or that she was secretly only hired so that the ladies of the fancy homes could have some gossip to talk about. Aria was, after all, the young love and fiancé of the infamous Lucius Malfoy, and many of the families wanted to see what all the fuss was about. How such a young girl from America could cause such a stir in their high society. Aria was sure Narcissa must have been spreading slanderous lies, to go along perfectly with all of the rumor mill articles about her and Lucius that appeared so frequently in the Daily Prophet and other newspapers and magazines of the British Wizarding World. Some articles were merely nosy, but not cruel, while other stories about her had been downright psychotic. One story on her had even gone as far as to suggest that she had placed Lucius under some sort of spell or, ironically, the Amortentia potion. That one struck a nerve with her; she _had_ drank the Amortentia potion in her adventure down in the Department of Mysteries, but as she and Lucius knew, the potion affected her and him differently. It hurt her to know that rumors were being spread that she somehow had coerced Lucius into being with her. If only people knew the true depth of their love and their connection. Lucius and Aria had told the world their truth at his very public trial after his arrest, and now it was up to society on whether or not they wanted to believe it. And so with that mentality at the forefront of her mind, Aria confidently ignored the rumors and the stares and the whispers as she worked diligently and always treated everyone politely and gave warm smiles.

It didn't take long for her friendly personality to win a lot of the purebloods over however. Whether it was her natural charm, her beauty or just her confidence in herself, she soon heard less and less whisperings and over the weeks during her times at the other mansions, some of the residents of the grand homes even chatted with her friendly as she worked, almost as if she had been apart of their society for ages. She soon began receiving not only her payment for her actual work she provided them, but also began receiving little Christmas gifts of her own as a bonus. Although she knew the purebloods could be downright gossiping, horrible people, once you had been accepted into their folds and you had their friendship, one got not only their support but also their generosity in gifts. At first she denied the extravagant gifts, as they felt too much, too unprofessional to be able to accept, but the families never took "no" for an answer; it wasn't something they accepted or heard much in their class.

Aria couldn't believe some of the items she had received; a ruby and ivory broach from the Victorian Era, silk and lace fans from her favorite 18th century era of France and many rare and spectacular books. Lucius was pleased that Aria was being recognized not only for her hard work but also for her being accepted into the folds of the upper-crust society. Aria had always thought of these families as a different class than her, but she soon realized that she was now apart of the upper class as well; as she was to marry Lucius, the wealthiest Wizard of all. It was an odd feeling, but one she was quite grateful for though, as she knew many others could never dream of being as well off. It was quite humbling.

On December 20th, after a few weeks of working non-stop, Aria finally came home after a long day of researching and cataloguing a private library full of rare books; glad her holiday break was finally starting. She found Lucius in their own library, where he usually was when she arrived home. The lights from the Christmas tree caused a warm golden glow to reflect off of his platinum hair, along with the light from the fire. He looked beautiful reading peacefully to himself, his white button up shirt rolled up at the sleeves, and his long slender legs crossed in front of him. Aria smiled at the sight of her man and instantly went over to where he sat and kissed him long and hard. He smiled faintly up at her and put his book down; he seemed distracted however and Aria noticed that little crease in the middle of his eyebrows he got when he was in deep thought. She didn't press him about what it was initially, as she put down her heavy bag and parcels that she had been given as gifts from the last family she had worked for.

"I got more gifts," she sighed out half grateful and half embarrassed. It still felt so unprofessional to accept such items from her clients. She opened the smaller parcel and pulled out a beautiful golden orb, which she realized was an ornament, as it had a string attached to the top. Inside the orb danced a tiny ballerina made from shining porcelain. Aria stared in delight at the beautifully enchanted gift and went right over to the tree and hung the ornament right in the front, so she could always look at its charm and beauty.

As she opened the next package, she gasped when she pulled out a very slinky and seductive black lace lingerie set.

"Oh my," she gasped as she immediately dropped the lace creation back in its box as she looked up at Lucius quickly, waiting for his reaction.

He simply raised an eyebrow in her direction and a slight smirk played across his lips. So he wasn't mad it seemed, but his raised eyebrow definitely did ask its own silent questions.

"I swear nothing has been going on!" Aria instantly jumped to the defensive. The gift had been given to her from her older client, Reginald Fawley. He was an old widower who lived alone in a grand mansion and had clearly been very lonely, as he often talked with Aria as she worked. Nothing he had ever said or done in her presence had indicated that he was anything but a nice old man, but he had clearly been daydreaming unbeknownst to Aria as she worked. It was all the more surprising too, since he knew she was engaged to Lucius, as she often talked about her happiness with Lucius openly.

Lucius came over to where she stood and chuckled to himself, as he picked up the delicate lace garment in his large hands.

"I swear my love, I would never have guessed that Mr. Fawley would have had this in mind. He was such a nice old man, of course I was nice to him, but I never did anything to lead him on, you have to believe me I-" Aria rambled as she tried to explain the inappropriate gift.

"Aria, it's okay! It is actually sort of amusing," Lucius said as he let the lingerie slide out of his hands and into the package it came in. "I am just amazed someone as old and ancient as Fawley could have had such nice taste in ladies lingerie…"

Aria went in closer to Lucius so that she could put her arms around him and her head against his chest, almost as if still trying to reaffirm him that she had nothing to do with such a ridiculous gift. "He knows I am engaged! I talk about you all the time and how much I adore you."

Lucius wrapped his arms around Aria comfortingly, letting her know that he paid the gift no mind. "I am sure he doesn't mind that you are engaged. Extramarital relationships are common in pure-blooded society. Not talked about openly of course, but accepted none the less…the old man must have thought he could have a chance at you," Lucius said as he rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Well I never want anyone else besides you!" Aria said as she held Lucius around his middle tighter.

"And I you," he said romantically as he kissed the top of her head sweetly. "As for this though," he said as he picked back up the box of lingerie and immediately tossed it into the fire, which made Aria gasp. "You shall only wear lingerie that I buy for you or nothing at all," he looked down at her with a grey fire in his eyes.

"Yes sir," she said with a smirk of her own as she looked back up at him. However she was quickly caught breathless as she stared at him. His eyes remained locked on hers and he suddenly became very quiet as his fierce grey gaze pierced her own. They were a dark grey, but shined like fire, they almost looked an otherworldly black. His jaw was clenched as he focused his gaze on her as his eyes feasted upon her face and then down a bit to her neck then back up to her eyes. The little crease between his eyebrows reappeared as he was clearly in deep though about something. Aria's right hand instantly went up to his face to caress it gently.

"What is it Lucius?" she asked concerned, as her green eyes studied the harsh features of his beautiful face.

"I…." he began, as he acted as if he was too afraid to continue on with what he was thinking and wanting to say.

Aria, now growing concerned, instantly grabbed his hand and led them back over to the comfort of the couch in front of the fire.

"Tell me," she urged him. "Is it the lingerie? What is it?"

"No of course not," he said as he slightly laughed under his breath as he looked into the fire where the remnants of the black lingerie set singed away. He was clearly nervous to tell her what it was he was thinking. He looked back at her then, his face instantly becoming fierce and serious again. "It's just that tomorrow is the Winter Solstice…one of those nights our powers and our bond will be most powerful again…like on Samhain."

Aria breathed in a deep, shaky breath as her stomach twisted into a delicious knot at the thought of their last coupling that had occurred on one of the special magical nights of the year. It had been the most erotic night of her life thus far, and just the word Samhain, or Halloween, sent her mind into a fantasy tailspin.

"I hadn't realized the solstice was tomorrow; I've been so occupied with everything else…" she mused as she looked off into the fire as she took Lucius' hand in her own. "We should go someplace…a place of magical significance like the standing stones in Scotland, so our magic can be amplified again. I bet it would feel even more intense if we were to be back at the standing stones on such an important night."

"Yes, I was thinking I would like to try that," began Lucius, his jaw still clenched. "I think I would also like for us to utilize our wandless magic as well during that night; open up our mental connection. The feelings we could feel would be limitless. I can only imagine what it would feel like when our powers and connection is so amplified," he said as he closed his eyes almost in orgasmic bliss as he thought about what it could feel like; gooseflesh rose on his arms, causing Aria's skin to tingle and rise on its own accord.

"Yes," she practically whispered as she longed for it to be tomorrow evening so that she could experience the heaven she knew she was bound to feel. She looked up at her lover with excitement and passion in her eyes, and yet he still had that strained yet fiery look in the set of his expressions.

"What is it my love? Something has been on your mind since I have gotten home…"

"Well…during the solstice tomorrow…I would rather like to…" he stopped mid sentence, but them slowly raised his left hand up to cup her cheek and then let his fingertips brush lightly over her flushed cheek, and then down, so that has fingers stroked the soft skin of her delicate neck. He let his fingers rest lightly on her neck, the warmth of his touch radiating across her skin.

Aria's heart fluttered. She knew what Lucius meant, what he wanted, and what he had been so strained, and perhaps even ashamed to ask. He wanted to drink from her again; her blood. Her skin buzzed again with another round of gooseflesh as she thought again of that night back at Hogwarts, when their connection had been so intense not only from their soul mate bond, but also from the power of that magical night of Samhain. It aroused Aria to no end to know that he had enjoyed that crazy night as much as she had and that it had remained of erotic interest to him. Most people, wizards and humans alike would have found the act completely vile, but to Aria and Lucius it was primal and soul bending in the way it made them feel connected.

"I want that too," she said almost immediately. The thought of being able to taste him again made her want to do the act right then and there; to be able to drink in his blood that tasted of the sweetest vanilla and spice, that perfect combination that felt like she was drinking the stars and the moon itself. "I need that."

The strain in Lucius' face instantly dissipated and his broad, beautiful mouth broke out into a satisfied grin as he let out a sigh of relief.

"I had been debating whether or not I should bring that up, as I wasn't sure how you would feel about trying that again…but as the solstice has been getting closer and closer…I find myself…craving you…and more than just for your body as I usually do…I wanted to _consume_ you into me again."

Aria's breath caught in her throat at the eroticism of his words. His dark, hooded gaze and his hidden desires were all so dark and sexy and she couldn't help but lean in close to kiss him deeply, opening his mouth with her own and allowing their tongues to dance around each other, moans escaping both of the lovers.

As she pulled away from kissing him to catch her breath, a thought occurred to Aria.

"Lucius…will our bodies be able to handle that much pleasure? Not only will we be at a magically charged place on a significant magical day, but we will also be using our wandless magic mental connection as well as drinking each others' blood…that is four things that have always been beyond orgasmic to us. That much power and connection…can our mortal bodies handle that much feeling?"

Lucius pondered her questions. He knew the power and emotions they would feel tomorrow night would be unlike anything they had ever experienced before; which was saying something because the two of them always found ways to bring each other more and more pleasure and grow their connection to unbelievable heights. Could their physical bodies truly comprehend what they were about to experience? Lucius didn't know…and he also didn't care to question it. He had to have her in every significantly magical way possible tomorrow night.

The two soul mates went to bed that night without making love and instead just held each other as they waited for the Solstice to begin the next day. They were sure it would be a mind-blowing night and as they faded off to sleep, they could already feel their bodies slightly vibrating with the magic that coursed through their connected souls.

* * *

Aria and Lucius awoke the next morning full of a brewing power they could both feel in their bones. Throughout the day, the two said little to each other, but instead mainly communicated in looks of longing and touches of passion. Their bodies called out for each other, and the fact that they hadn't consummated on the day yet sent their bodies into overdrive. Aria felt as if her senses were 100 times more powerful and aware then usual, and she noticed as it got later and later in the day that both of their blond heads had begun glowing with the first dim lights of their connection. On these special days of the year, the couple didn't need the Lumos Interius spell to light up from within; the magic of the day caused it to happen naturally, like it did on Samhain. Aria knew deep in her heart that it was the Veela bond that they shared that caused this glow to their hair and skin.

Lucius had told Aria that he had a special place in mind for them to join as one for that night; Aria hadn't asked where, but she secretly hoped it would be back at the Calannish stones in Scotland where they had first experienced their mystical physical connection. And so as the sun began setting, rather early it was as the Winter Solstice was the shortest day of the year, Lucius took a hold of Aria by the waist and pulled her in tightly against his body; Aria could already feel a slight erection pressing up against her pelvis and her body shuddered in delight at how ready Lucius was for her.

"Ready?" he asked huskily as he breathed in her scent in the crux of her head and neck.

"Mhm," Aria nodded almost silently.

Lucius immediately apparated them to the location he had set in mind for them that night. It was almost completely dark when they landed solidly on the ground, and it was completely silent for miles and miles. Aria blinked slightly, her eyes adjusting to the darkness and for a moment she thought he had indeed taken them back to the Callanish stones. However, as her eyes adjusted and she saw the stone circle in which she stood, she realized it wasn't the towering monoliths of Scotland, but smaller stones that surrounded them, with dark mountains surrounding them on all sides as if they were in their own little magic box.

"The Castlerigg Stone Circle in Keswick; a bit more closer to home but still just as magically powerful," Lucius said again with his husky voice that was thick with readiness and need.

Aria had dressed warmly, but just as it had been back in Scotland, the magic of their bodies and the stones around them created for a perfect environment and she didn't feel the chill of the winter air at all. Her body pulsed with her own desire and she noticed her and Lucius' internal glowing light becoming more and more apparent as their powers and want for each other was at its precipice. Without saying a word, she began undressing, removing layer by layer of her winter clothes. Lucius' eyes never left her body as she undressed and he began doing the same as he removed his thick black robes and woolen suit until his alabaster skin, glowing white with magic and moonlight, was revealed. Aria's breath hitched in her throat at his beauty, and his gorgeous cock which was now completely hard and pulsing with need as it stood up straight and hard and proud.

"Come here," he said urgently as he pulled her in close again so that their bodies pressed up hard against one another and he knelt them down to the grass so that they were both on their knees facing each other. It must have been the magic of the place but the grass beneath them didn't feel scratchy or rough, but instead felt like silk strands underneath them, supporting them. "I am going to open up our mental connection by doing some wandless magic by placing some silencing spells…just incase," he smirked.

Aria knew that no one would hear them, as they were miles and miles away from civilization, and she also knew that while Lucius was putting the spells in place as a precaution, he was mainly doing it so that he could open up their connection.

"Protego maxima," Lucius whispered into the air as he closed his eyes and took Aria's hands in his.

Aria joined in with him in the casting of wandless charms herself so that she could open up the connection even wider as they both used their skills. "Silencio," she muttered as she too closed her eyes and squeezed Lucius' hands.

As they felt the bubble of their spells creating a silent protection around them, they both breathed in gasps of breath as their mental connection opened and the feelings of bliss penetrated their connected souls; they were one soul now. The magic of the night and of the space that they were in accelerated the feeling of magic and power and their bodies began glowing even brighter as the magic of the night took hold of them.

Moaning a deep moan of gratification and longing in his throat and chest, Lucius leaned Aria back so that she was lying down and his muscular, ready body hovered over her. He wasted no time with foreplay, she could see that his natural instinct, his more animalistic side, had taken over…and to think he hadn't even tasted her blood yet. He instantly entered her wet and ready core, and she screamed out into their private bubble of bliss as her body glowed and pulsed a bright golden aura at the sublime pleasure. She not only felt his entrance into her physically but also mentally, as their mental connection was on a connected wavelength to what their bodies were feeling.

He wasn't gentle in his thrusts; they were hard and quick-paced and the sound of their moans was mixed with the rousing sounds of their skin slapping against the others' with each hard thrust. His right hand held up her left leg around his waist as he pounded into her unbridled, and the pain she should have felt from where his fingertips gripped her leg, was only pure pleasure and power. The power between them was beyond addictive as he made love to her brutishly, and her mind was beginning to spin in colors of their glowing silverish-gold bodies and of the midnight blue sky above them. Aria felt like she could hear the stones moaning with their own delight at the lovers' bliss, just as she had heard the stones in Scotland calling out to them.

Lucius' face was buried in her neck as he fucked her and she felt him breathing in her sweet honeyed scent, the one that he was so addicted to and knew he was so beyond ready to taste her, but was still waiting for her to be ready as well. She was. "Do it," she moaned out into the air as she clutched to his back, her nails digging in with anticipation.

Without missing a beat in his thrusting, she felt his lips gently kiss the right side of her neck; and then she felt his soft kisses turn into hard kisses, his tongue licking and sucking over the spot on her neck she knew he was about to bite into. Sure enough, when her anticipation was getting to be unbearable, she felt him bite down hard, causing her to scream out at the shock of it, although she felt no pain…only pressure and then pleasure.

"Finally!" he growled as he leaned his head back after that first taste, giving Aria a completely unforgettable view of her lover, with her blood trailing down his chin; it was so wrong, yet so right in that moment. Lucius himself was almost to the point of incoherence when he felt and tasted the first rush of her blood on his tongue. He was already on a high from their mental connection and the taste of her blood sent him over into infinity. She tasted of the sweetest nectar and it warmed his insides in the most delightful of ways. His hips never stopped bucking into her as he rode out his multiple highs he was on and Aria's nails dug deeper into his back as they raked down his soft skin as she felt his mouth on her neck again as he drank more deeply from her.

He looked into her eyes after a few moments, and she saw that his pupils had dilated like they had done that first time he had drank her blood. It was always a shocking sight; his eyes were huge and practically as black as the night sky above them. He seemed as if he was in another dimension, one that only consisted of the purest feelings of their bodies connected and she wanted to join him desperately and so she reached her hands up off his back to then bring his head closer into her mouth. Lucius could sense what she wanted and so he leaned his head back slightly and gave her access to his neck.

Just like Lucius, she wasted no time. He had barely felt her lips upon his neck before he felt the pressure and shock of the bite. He breathed in a sharp hiss between his teeth, and then groaned out in pleasure as he felt his woman take in his essence as she lapped it up with her soft, skilled tongue.

"My God! Aria," he gasped out.

"Mmmmm," was all she could say as her lips were still tightly upon his neck. He tasted so much better than she had remembered. As before it wasn't a taste she could accurately describe; it was magic. It was the night sky, the taste of the rarest of vanilla and spice and it was icy, in a good way, which tingled and ignited her insides with pleasure and wonder.

She let go of his neck after a bit and just stared up at him; the most beautiful man in the world. His dilated eyes stared directly into her soul and now her own eyes, as equally as large and dilated, took in the magical man above her, shining silver in the winter moonlight.

She hadn't realized he had stopped pounding into her as she had been drinking from him, and so with a power she didn't realize she could possess she rolled them over so that she now was on top of him, straddling him as she looked down at him. He continued to stare at her in wonder as she began pumping her hips up and down so quickly, it was almost as if she had put a speed charm on herself. It was their power, mentally and physically that was giving her such abilities. She couldn't comprehend what she was seeing and feeling and she leaned her body down closer to him so that their foreheads were touching. Both of them at the same time leaned into the other's neck and began drinking again as both created animalistic sounds of bliss and satisfaction.

As Aria continued to ride Lucius to perfection she leaned her head back up to look down at him and realized that surrounding them completely was stars. They were no longer on the ground in the stone circle…they were surrounded by the bright, shining stars, seemingly floating throughout the cosmos. Aria should have been scared, but all she could do was look around in amazement and call out Lucius' name.

"Lucius!" she said to get his attention, his eyes were still only on her own. "Look!" she said as she stared all around her. Weirdly enough her hips hadn't stopped moving and she continued to make love to him despite this new part of their connection.

Lucius looked all around them and realized they were on what appeared to either be a different plane of existence…or perhaps a hallucination from the power of their mental connection and the blood. He didn't know how this had happened, but he smiled and half laughed, half moaned, as the pleasure of Aria making love to him grew and grew. He cared not of what was actually happening but only of the physical and mental bliss he was feeling. His focus went back to the love of his life as she continued to move her hips up and down, her hands braced on his broad, muscular chest for support. She was so incredibly beautiful, her plush, full breasts moving in the most seductive way as her body moved around him and the blood on her lips that shined in the starlight drove him even deeper into his pleasure…it was the most beautiful moment of his life.

He grabbed her hips firmly, surely causing more bruising, and guided her hips faster and faster on him. She began screaming out in pleasure at the added speed, she had already been moving so fast. With each moan and scream it seemed that the stars that surrounded them in their own private world glowed brighter in brilliant shades of silver, gold, pink, blue and purple. As they reached their peaks, so close to falling over the edge into their orgasms, both of them felt their eyesight go black and then flashes of pictures flooded their minds. The two of them, throughout their life times, making love, having mind-blowing orgasms…flashes of skin against skin, hands grabbing, rubbing, pleasuring. Lips on lips, images of mouths open in orgasmic bliss. It was just flashes of images, but the two lovers knew it was themselves, in all of their past lives, making sweet passionate love. Whether it was part of a hallucination or not, neither knew, but the images that flooded their minds sent both of them over the edge as they came intensely together. To both of them it felt as if a bomb had gone off in not only each of their bodies but also their minds.

They clung to each other, screaming out words of pleasure that made no sense, but had to be screamed. They leaned in to each other's necks to drink one last taste from each other before their orgasms ended, needing desperately for the high to continue.

Soon though, the screams stopped and the two lovers lay still as their own sight returned to them. They still floated contentedly throughout the stars, which magically supported them as if they were laying on the softest of pillows. The magic of the Solstice, their mental connection, their blood and the stones had made them experience something truly incredible and the last thought before the two slipped away into unconsciousness was one of the purest pleasure and soul connection.

* * *

The first thing Aria felt was warmth against her skin and the feeling of Lucius beneath her. Her head was throbbing and her body was sore, but she felt oddly the most peaceful and satisfied she had ever felt in her entire life. Her eyes fluttered open and she realized that it was now daytime, and the warmth that she felt was the bright winter sun shining down upon the two lovers. They were still in the stone circle, completely naked, and their limbs and hair were intertwined. Dried blood was in Aria's hair and also on Lucius' chest were she had been lying all night it appeared. She was extremely light headed and was sure it was from loss of blood, and perhaps the visions they had had. Floating in the stars, making love to Lucius had been unbelievable…. had it been a dream? A hallucination? Or had it been real? Last night was the most magical event in her life and she couldn't quite process it. She was also slowing becoming aware that they must have been laying there unconscious for hours, and she was becoming more and more self-conscious, should a wandering muggle pass by at any point and see two naked people huddled in the middle of the circle.

Aria looked down at her Lucius. His eyes were still closed and he looked so peaceful it almost hurt to wake him, but it was time for them to go back home and recover mentally and physically. A pleasure such as the pleasure they had experienced had been so intense she felt as if she was truly hung-over.

"My love," she said whispering in his ear as she slightly shook him with her left hand.

With a bit of a jolt, Lucius opened his eyes and squinted against the afternoon sun. He looked shocked when he realized they had been unconscious all night and day.

"Aria," he said as he raised his right hand up and gently caressed her cheek. He reached for his wand which was buried in the pile of their clothes near them, pointed it at her neck and healed her bite wound he had inflicted; it had stopped bleeding on its own during the night, but it still needed looking after. He then pointed the wand at his own neck to try and heal his wound as well.

He then looked around nervously for a bit as he realized they had been lying out in the open, vulnerable for god knows how long, but realized their protective charms were still in place and he sighed out in relief.

"What happened last night? Was that all a dream? A hallucination?" asked Aria weakly.

Lucius shook his head, thinking about all the events of the night before. "I don't know my love…but it was the most intense magic and pleasure I have ever felt in my entire life…. thank you…" he said as he leaned his forehead against hers. He too was feeling a bit weak and hung-over and the support of his woman's body helped exponentially.

He soon wrapped his thick cloak around them both, as he helped Aria up to her wobbly feet, and apparated them back home, straight into their room, as the two lovers collapsed on the bed together and stared at each other as if seeing an ethereal being. After that night both of their ideas and perceptions of the true power of magic had changed forever.


	32. Chapter 32-A Christmas Memory

**Photos are now up on my Pinterest page for this chapter! Let me know what you think about this chapter. I wasn't sure which direction to take it and I hope I chose the right way! Please review!**

* * *

Christmas Eve had arrived and it couldn't have been more idyllic at the Malfoy Manor. A decent coating of snow covered the entire grounds of the estate and inside the Manor was even more of a Winter Wonderland as twinkling lights lit up the inside like stars, and the scents of pine and spice permeated the air. Aria loved the scent especially, as it slightly reminded her of Lucius' natural scent and everything about her surroundings and her life made her so happy in that moment. Not only had her and Lucius' love making been literally, out of this world as of late, with all of their layers of connection, but Aria had thought deeply about what she had wanted to get Lucius for Christmas and finally had come up with something she knew would be priceless and irreplaceable for him.

It had stumped her for a few weeks; what do you get the man that has everything? What do you get a man that had repeatedly told you not to get him anything? That being with you and having you was the best gift he could ever receive? Of course she was touched at his selflessness and love for her, but she still really wanted to get him something. Christmas was her favorite holiday, and Lucius was her favorite being in the whole universe.

Suddenly she remembered something he had frequently mentioned and everything sort of clicked. She thought back on all of the countless times his regrets in life had come up in their deep conversations they often had. The one thing he constantly mentioned since the moment their relationship first blossomed was that he wished he had met her sooner. That if he met her sooner, or knew of their prophecy, perhaps he wouldn't have gone down such a dark path. Perhaps he would have had something to strive for and to hope for. If he had known about their soul mate connection maybe he wouldn't have felt so alone.

She then thought of what she had found buried up in the attic of the Manor weeks before; a Time Turner. Her mind grew dizzy with excitement and anxiety when she thought of Lucius' only wish and what she could do with that Time Turner…of course she would have to be immensely careful. She couldn't change the future too much, otherwise it could severely impact their present, and she didn't want anything to change what her and Lucius had now. However, if there was a way to go back in time, to Lucius' past and to somehow subtly hint that there was hope, that there was someone out there for him who would love him unconditionally and always be there for him, maybe his life wouldn't be so coated with darkness. She wished she could change his past enough to make it so that he would never join the Dark Lord's side and get so heavily involved with the Death Eaters, but she knew that was sadly something he must go through. It was apart of his life's journey and changing that could be even more disastrous.

She also wasn't sure how Lucius would act knowing she was about to go back in time. Would he think her foolish? Would he be mad? She wasn't sure but she had to try: to try and make one of his only wishes come true. She was a smart witch and she would practice immense caution and she knew that when she met up with Lucius' younger self in the past it would have to be as discrete as possible. Her interactions with him would have to be mysterious and vague and yet she wanted him to know that there was someone out there for him giving him love and hope. Then when she traveled back forward in time to her present, her goal was for Lucius to have a new beautiful memory from the past and to give him the gift that he always had talked about; knowing her when he was younger and having more time together in this life. That was her gift to him.

She sincerely hoped her plan and her surprise gift would go off without a hitch. She knew the exact moment she wanted to travel back to, as she had heard Lucius mention it a week or two prior about one of the reasons why he hated Christmas so much. He mentioned his parents' yearly Christmas party and how much he detested those nights. His home would be filled with horrible pure-blooded adult witches and wizards all there to gossip and act as matchmaker to their children to pair them into unbearable relationships built on blood supremacy. He said it was during those Christmas parties that he felt the most hopeless, the most alone, and the most misunderstood. Christmas was never a time of happiness for him, only of feeling miserable and that his destiny was out of his hands.

He said the most miserable one was the Christmas party when he was 17, in the middle of his last year at Hogwarts. It had been a masquerade ball and his parents had just confirmed that his future wife was to be Narcissa Black. He said his hope for life had gone downhill from there, and that was one of the most depressing nights of his life. Aria knew that was the night she would travel back to…to give him some Christmas cheer, and a beautiful memory he could hold with him until he met her again.

The day had been lovely. Aria had invited Pepper over during the day for some holiday cookie baking. Aria had invited Hermione as well, but the popular witch had politely declined saying she had other holiday plans. Aria of course understood if Hermione wasn't yet ready to come to the Manor, despite the Manor being such a light and happy place now that Aria was living there and co-owner.

Lucius had left Pepper and Aria to have as much fun as they desired as they took over the entire Manor kitchens with trays and trays of cookies. Flour and sprinkles and icing coated all of the countertops and holiday music blasted magically throughout the kitchen. The whole scene was entirely juvenile and Lucius couldn't help but smile warmly to himself as he heard the giggles and happiness emanating from the kitchen as he passed by in the hallway. Aria was truly a light, and it warmed his soul to have her making his life so much brighter.

After they properly gorged themselves on cookies and exchanged some gifts, Aria and Pepper hugged each other and said their goodbyes. Pepper was due to be on a flight later that evening to make it to her hometown of New York, just in time for Christmas morning. And Lucius had made Aria promise to keep her evening free so it would be just the two of them for a romantic dinner and dessert and some nice music.

* * *

Later that evening, after their extravagant meal fit for a King and Queen, Lucius led Aria by the hand to their library, their favorite room, and laid her on the couch in front of the fire. With a swish of his wand the harpsichord near the window started playing soft, Christmas melodies and Lucius went over to grab him and Aria two drams of Fire Whisky to warm their bellies.

"Merry Christmas my love," Lucius said as he sat on the couch and raised his glass to cheers with Aria.

"Merry Christmas love," she repeated back to him as she sipped at her whisky. She didn't want to get too inebriated tonight, since she knew once Lucius went to bed she would be using the Time Turner to go back and give him his Christmas gift.

"Oh I nearly forgot," Lucius said suddenly as he put down his glass and reached into his robes pocket to pull out a tiny velvet box. "The first part of your Christmas present," Lucius said as he presented her the box.

"But Lucius!" she objected, as she currently didn't have anything to give him quite yet. "I have nothing to give you at the moment!"

"Shhh," he said with a smirk. "You know I have to spoil you…and as for me, good, I don't want anything material from you. Just your love is enough."

Aria flushed with love for the man and she gave up protesting. With excitement she slowly opened up the velvet box to reveal two of the most gorgeous emerald earrings she had ever seen. They weren't too big, just the perfect size to fit delicately on her tiny ears.

Lucius' smirk widened as he saw her amazement and he reached out to stroke her cheek gently with his fingers. "As beautiful as your emerald eyes. I wanted to get you something to remind you of what I see every time I look at your beautiful face."

"Lucius," said Aria breathlessly. "They are so beautiful. Thank you!" she said as she practically flung herself onto him where he sat on the couch across from her and showered him with kisses and then proceeded to delicately put the earrings on.

"Perfect," said Lucius as he admired the emeralds, which now graced her ears. The light from the fire glinted off the jewels and off of Aria's eyes and it was exactly what Lucius had hoped for when he made the purchase.

Aria and Lucius cuddled up and finished their drams of Fire Whisky and Aria was getting concerned once she began dozing off in Lucius warm embrace; she felt Lucius fading too as the melodic sounds of the harpsichord and the warmth of the whisky worked their magic and soon enough she felt him breathing deeply as his strong arms remained wrapped around her protectively, even in sleep. Aria was grateful that she didn't succumb to sleep, as she was so close. She gently moved out of Lucius' arms and tiptoed down to the kitchens to search in the medicine cabinet for a bottle of Pepper-Up Potion to get more awake. After she was sufficiently "peppered" and awake, Aria practically raced back upstairs and into one of her favorite rooms in the Manor, the feminine room where she stored her masquerade dress and other big ball gowns as well as a lot of her other personal items she had kept during the move. She put on the black ball gown she had worn to the Samhain ball back at Hogwarts, as well as her thick, velvet, blue cloak to keep warm. She grabbed a black masquerade mask from the closet as well to hide her identity. The mask just so happened to be the same mask Lucius had worn all those months ago at his own masquerade ball he had held for the ministry. Aria smiled as she put the black mask on, loving the tiny stars that were glinting off of the design of the mask.

In a tiny box that she had hid in a chest of drawers, she pulled out the golden Time Turner. She delicately rubbed the small hourglass in the middle of the piece and breathed in a giant breath of anxiety. She couldn't believe she was really doing this, but she knew this could turn out to be something so special. She had done her research, discretely of course, and she had calculated that turning the Time Turner about 15 times should get her to her desired time. If all went according to plan she would end up at Lucius' 17th year, during the annual Christmas party that was held at the Manor. With one more deep breath Aria began turning the timepiece in her hands.

* * *

Aria saw the world spinning and flashing before her eyes, as time itself seemed to rewind at super-speed. The feeling was almost worse than apparating, as the process was taking a lot slower than the immediateness of apparating. _Finally_ , the world stopped spinning and Aria was standing in the very same room, but immediately noticed the slight differences in the furniture arrangement, making her realize her time travel had been successful. Well at least she was in the Manor, which was a plus; although she still had to make sure she got the right year. The room was dark but she heard the buzz and murmurs of a lively party going on from downstairs, giving her hope that she had made it to the Malfoy Christmas party all those years ago. Aria quietly crept out of the room making her way through the dark hallways of the Manor, it was dead silent as she treaded throughout the halls and she was getting chills, as the Manor definitely didn't have the same loving vibe and warmth as it did in the present with her and Lucius. She suddenly sensed why Lucius had felt so depressed as a young man.

She finally made her way downstairs, but kept to the shadows so as not to bring too much attention to herself. She was dressed properly, as she observed the party going on from where she stood in the shadows. Elegant pure-bloods danced the night away in their extravagant gowns and sipped on only the finest of champagnes. Here and there she saw little groups of witches and wizards whispering to each other; private conversations she were sure were not all that moral. Her eyes scanned the room looking for that platinum head she so longed to see. She didn't spot Lucius immediately, but she did spot a man who could be none other than Abraxas Malfoy. He looked exactly like the portrait that Aria had spoken to in her time, however he was even more tall, elegant and intimidating than the portrait let on. She could truly see how much of an ominous and important man Abraxas must have been amongst this inner circle of purebloods at the head of the Malfoy name. Abraxas danced with a beautiful woman with platinum hair and bright blue eyes. That must have been Lucius' mother! She could definitely see where Lucius got his beauty from, this woman was so stunning, that Aria could now completely see where Lucius got his Veela blood from. Abraxas, even with his harsh expression and presence, gripped his wife closely as they danced and looked into her eyes with an adoration that Aria knew to be love, deep down in his cold heart. So the man could love after all. She smirked a bit to herself and then set off in search of the one man she truly wanted to see.

The house was decorated spectacularly with holly, pine and ornaments everywhere and beautiful golden lights illuminating the mansion in a golden glow. As Aria looked into the several grand rooms downstairs, she passed by the drawing room, what she knew to be Lucius' least favorite room and stopped dead in her tracks. There he was, that platinum blond head of her soul mate, staring out the window of the drawing room watching the fluffy, white snow fall to the ground outside. The golden lights in this room had been shut off and the room had an air of sadness as she continued to stare transfixed at a young Lucius, only illuminated by the pale light of the moon and snow.

Aria couldn't believe how incredibly beautiful Lucius was as a young man. His hair wasn't as long, but came just above his shoulders and shined like magical silk in the moonlight. He wore no mask tonight, despite it being a masquerade ball, and his jaw was chiseled but his cheeks still had a bit of remnants of their youthful fullness and even in the darkness of the room she could tell that his eyes were those piercing grey orbs that she adored so much. He was lankier than she knew him to be as a grown adult man, but she could tell that under his white button up shirt he wore, he still would most likely have some muscular definition. He had in his hand a silver, round ornament, which he was turning over and over in his hand, as if he was in deep thought about something and not realizing what his hands were doing. She felt like she couldn't breath, as she swallowed hard, and before she knew it her legs were unknowingly carrying her into the room; she clutched tightly to the Time Turner she had put over her neck, but realized was squeezing it so tight she might break it, and so she quickly hid it in the bodice of her dress.

Lucius hadn't noticed her yet, as he continued staring forlornly out the window and Aria wasn't sure what her next move would be, but she needn't wonder any longer as her hip accidentally bumped into the large table in the middle of the room, causing her to curse out in frustration and pain as her cover was quickly blown.

Young Lucius stood up abruptly at the disturbance and turned to face Aria, as he dropped the silver ornament he had been holding, causing it to fall to the ground and break into pieces. His eyes bored into Aria's as she profusely apologized for startling him.

"I'm so sorry Lucius," she said quickly. "I didn't mean to startle you!"

"You didn't startle me!" he shouted back, his voice a bit lighter sounding than the deep, honeyed voice she was used to. "Who are you? What are you doing?" he said, sounding really annoyed and angry.

Here was the Lucius she wasn't very used to. The one whose heart was beginning to turn icy and hard.

Aria walked up slowly closer to him and bent down to pick up the broken ornament. "I'm sorry," she said as she scooped up the pieces and held them in her hands.

"Whatever," Lucius said grumpily, as he went back over to the window and sat down again, staring out at the falling snow.

Aria put the pieces of the broken ornament in the deep pocket of her cloak and joined Lucius were he sat at the window next to him. Aria tried to keep her face hidden within the shadows of her cloak but she couldn't help but stare up at the very young Lucius; his beautiful face staring stoically out the window; she could tell he was trying not to look at her. For a while the two just sat there until Lucius finally said something.

"You're staring," he said annoyed as his grey eyes moved from where he looked at the falling snow to Aria's own green eyes which were in shadow from the cloak.

"Sorry…you're just so…" she started but realizing she should stop.

Lucius now fully stared at her. "So….what?" he asked, his eyebrow raised in curiosity and haughtiness. It was so weird seeing such a young Lucius using all of those familiar expressions.

"Beautiful…" she said, her cheeks blushing hotly (good thing he couldn't see). Lucius seemed to blush a bit too and he looked back out the window. "And also sad…" Aria finished her sentence.

Lucius looked back at her, seemingly annoyed again. "Who are you? You never answered me? And why are you here?"

"Oh..umm…my name is…Fleur," she lied. Picking the first name that came to her mind; of course it was another Delacour that came up into her mind first. "And I am here because…well because it's the Christmas ball…I was invited," she lied again.

"No…why are you _here_?" Lucius said as he pointed to where they sat, indicating he meant why she was in this room with him.

"I wanted to get away…" she lied again. Really she had only come here to see him and to try and give him a good Christmas memory. A good memory from his past he could cherish.

"Hmmm," he said as he pondered her. "Me too."

"Are you okay Lucius?" she asked, as she reached her hand out to touch him but then thought she better not…not quite yet anyways.

He didn't say anything for a while, but then his hands came up close to her face as he grabbed the hood of her cloak as if he was about to lift it. "Why are you hiding your face?" he asked. But before he could take the hood and bring it down, Aria gripped his hands in hers and prevented him from removing it. The second their hands touched, she felt that spark; their soul mate connection. Lucius clearly felt it too, as he breathed in a quick breath of surprise and made no move to get his hands out from under hers. She saw his chest breathing quickly as he took in the intensity of the feeling and the energy that could be felt between them. He was about to say something, but Aria cut him off.

"Lucius…I don't want you to be sad...," she said as she rubbed his hands comfortingly with the her thumbs as she still held his hands in hers.

Lucius just sat there paralyzed. Clearly he wasn't used to being comforted or cared for and it broke her heart but she knew this is why she had come back in time.

"Who are you…?" he whispered into the darkness.

"Someone who cares," Aria said instantly.

Lucius raised his eyebrow again in curiosity, but this time the haughtiness was all gone. He stood up abruptly and went to stand near the unlit fireplace as he began pacing, until his words started to spill out of him like flowing water; he had clearly had a lot on his chest.

"My parents told me tonight that I am to be married," he said in almost disgust. "I knew I was destined for it my entire life, for _her_ , but just hearing it confirmed, on tonight of all nights; Christmas for God's sake! They couldn't wait to tell me until after I graduated?! They expect me to be happy…but I feel trapped…like I have no freedom. I've been a perfect son. I am the brightest student in my year, I am a prefect, I never complain or question them…well until tonight," he stated. "I just wanted that one freedom to be left to me- to have one thing left I can hold on to that is just mine. And now I don't even own my own self…my own heart anymore.."

Aria felt her eyes well up with tears as she listened to Lucius release all of his worries and his feelings about what was going on in his life. Although she was a stranger to him, he must have known deep down that she was someone he could confide in.

"Lucius I know it doesn't seem like it now, but everything will work out for the best. You'll see. One day you will be happy," she said as she made her way over to where he stood in the darkness.

"No," he said firmly. "I am destined for misery."

"No!" Aria said just as firmly back as she boldly placed her hand over Lucius' heart, feeling its beat and the warmth of his skin under her fingers. She knew the young man would grow up to do many dark things, but she wanted to assure him that there would always be a spot of lightness in his heart. The spot that would be waiting for her.

Lucius looked down at where Aria touched him, but made no move to get rid of her hand on his chest. And then, too quick for her to stop him, he reached up and removed her hood, so that she stood there face to face with him. Luckily it was so dark where they stood away from the window, and her mask she wore still protected a lot of her face from him. Even from where she stood she could only barely make out the planes and features of his gorgeous face. But as Lucius studied the parts of her that he was able to see, a small smile appeared on his face.

"And you say I'm beautiful…" he said with a chuckle as he indicated that he thought she was herself, beautiful.

"You can barely see me," she laughed as her heart fluttered with nerves. Uh oh…was this bad that he could see her enough to know that he thought she was pretty. His right hand came up to her face and traced the skin of her jaw and then her lips and then up to her ears that were graced with the emerald earrings his older self had just gotten her a few hours earlier. Aria couldn't help but feel so weird about being here now, here with young Lucius, but she couldn't help but adore that same romanticism and magnetism he possessed and her body shuddered in delight at his touch.

"Really though…who are you?" he asked of her again.

Aria just shook her head to herself, wanting to say so much, but knowing she couldn't. The first acceptable thing that popped into her mind is what she answered him with. "Your guardian angel," she laughed lightly.

Lucius laughed a bit but then became more serious and then almost angry again. "I don't have any angels…just demons," he said under his breath as he turned away from her.

Aria put her hand gently on his shoulder and turned him back around. He faced her again, his silver eyes still shining with youth and sadness that could even be seen in the darkness. He was incredibly beautiful at this age and it felt so weird to be staring at her fiancé's younger self. She reached up and traced his jaw this time with her fingertips and his full, plush lips. She even reached her hands up and ran them through his silky platinum hair, which caused the young Lucius to close his eyes in bliss and shudder under her touch. She saw him swallow hard and slowly open his eyes back up with an expression that could be only read as tenderly heartbreaking.

"No one has ever touched me that way before…" he said huskily, his lighter sounding voice now deep and seductive like how she was used to with his older self.

"It won't be the last time…trust me…" Aria said reassuring him he would be loved like that again. She went to take her hand away but he quickly grabbed it and brought her hand back up so that it was in front of his lips. He turned her hand around in his so that her delicate wrist faced him and then he leaned his head in to kiss the warm spot of her skin. It felt so light, as light as wings against her skin, but it felt so good, as she felt his warm breath caress her skin. She heard a deep moan in his chest, which made her shudder even more. She felt so wrong and yet so right.

He then pulled her arm in a bit so that her body was flush against his own. So bold and dominating even then, which made her giggle nervously a bit, and his height still overpowered her even at his young age; he had always been so tall and manly. His grip on her hand and waist was tight and he looked at her face, trying to figure out how and if he knew her. Aria hoped to Merlin she hadn't made a mistake by coming back in time, but she wanted to give Lucius this one good memory from his past. Then, before she knew it, Lucius had pressed his lips flush up against hers in a soul-crushing kiss that both shocked and ignited her core. She hadn't expected anything physical to happen and she hadn't calculated those effects, but yet she couldn't stop. Lucius' lips were so warm, so urgent and so demanding against hers and she couldn't help but open her mouth to his demanding tongue. He seemed to kiss her as if his life depended on it, as if she was his last hope and she knew that in his young, sad mind she was sure that it must have truly felt that way. It felt like she was simultaneously kissing a stranger and also kissing the Lucius she knew in her time; it was such an odd but amazing feeling. After a while of heavy snogging, Aria pulled back reluctantly.

"Lucius…I can't…we shouldn't,…" she said, her breathing heavy and straining against the pounding of her heart.

"Why?" he said as he stepped closer again, clearly not wanting to let her go. "Why can't I be free for just this night?"

Aria said nothing, not really knowing what to say and so Lucius continued. He brought her wrist back up to his lips and kissed it and then reached his hand back out to gently grab her behind her head, bringing her in closer.

"I have no idea who you are or where you came from…who knows…maybe you are my guardian angel after all," he said as he smirked and kissed her on the lips passionately again ever so briefly.

"I'll always be there for you….in here," she said as she put her hand back over his heart. "No matter what happens, know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel."

"Are you even real? Am I imagining this is all happening?" asked Lucius which, again, caused Aria to laugh a bit. Older Lucius always asked her if she was real, even in their own time. She loved seeing the tiny parallels and similarities between the young and older Lucius.

"Maybe," she said mysteriously as she leaned her head against Lucius' chest and just held him, allowing him to think that she was some sort of spirit, or even a hallucination. Lucius himself, asked no more questions, he simply held Aria back, and held on tightly, again that feeling of desperation for comforting human contact was so strong in Lucius it broke Aria's heart, and she was glad that Lucius couldn't see the single tear that ran down her cheek, as she thought of his pain.

Suddenly Lucius and Aria heard his name being called from somewhere in the Manor. Abraxas was looking for him, most likely wondering where he had gone off to, and Lucius suddenly released his grip on Aria and put his finger over his lips, indicating to her not to blow their cover on where they were hiding in the darkness of the drawing room. Abraxas walked right past the drawing room, not even looking in as he continued calling for his son.

"Probably wants me to go and dance with Narcissa… _my betrothed_ …" he whispered with a grimace. "I am going to get in so much trouble for hiding out all night," he winced almost as if he knew he would get beaten…or worse. "However….my night has turned out to be better than initially expected," he said as he smirked down at her. His gorgeous, young face made her stomach flutter. God he must have been a heartbreaker at Hogwarts amongst the ladies.

Aria smiled up at him and an idea came to mind. "Well…do you want to dance? With me?"

Lucius, for the first time all night smiled back widely, a dazzling, absolutely stunning smile, it took Aria's breath away. "I thought you'd never ask," he said as he bowed low at the hips and brought her hand up to his lips to kiss it like a perfect gentleman. It reminded her exactly of the night at the Masquerade ball older Lucius had held for the Ministry all those months ago. He swiftly grabbed her by the waist and hand and began dancing with her slowly; slowly yet perfectly. He had always been an incredible dancer it seemed.

Together they danced for what seemed like hours; Lucius had led them slowly back over to the window so that the two where silhouetted in the white glow of the snow and moon as their bodies pressed up against the other's as they slow danced to the sound of their own breath and hearts. Lucius stared at Aria with a confused longing and Aria stared back with just as much longing for him.

"I wish you would take your mask off for me and let me see you," Lucius said in a whisper as he swayed them back and forth. Aria said nothing, knowing she could never reveal herself in this way to his younger self, and just laid her head against his chest again. She felt Lucius sigh in frustration but acceptance, and then felt him stop swaying.

She looked up at him again, wondering why he stopped, and was taken aback yet again at his lips instantly crushing against hers in another soul-melting kiss. Aria couldn't help herself in how she felt as she wrapped her hands around his neck and brought him in closer as she grasped at his luscious hair and kissed him as deeply as he kissed her.

She heard another soft moan escape his lips and she then felt one of his quick hands move from her lower back up to her left breast as he gently squeezed the warm mound of flesh in his hands. The electricity of want that shot through Aria was instant and the grip she had on his neck and hair tightened, causing Lucius to press up against her even closer. Even through her ball gown she could feel his excitement, his hardening cock, as he ground it up against her. Her brain momentarily clouded with lust and need as it always did whenever she felt or saw Lucius' large cock, but she knew in this situation she must try to stop herself from going too far. She hadn't planned on any of this intimacy to happen and knew that she should have foreseen that as they were soul mates, it was bound to happen in any time period.

"I…I can't Lucius," she said as she reluctantly backed away.

"Why?" he said as he stepped closer to her, closing the space she had just made between them. "Please…I…I don't know why I feel this way so quickly about someone I don't even know but my whole body and heart just…want you." he admitted.

Aria's heart fluttered. Even at this young age of 17, he always knew how to use those beautiful words of his to flatter, seduce and charm. Her brain kept going back and forth between caving in to him and running away and going back forward in time. She stood there for what seemed like an age, Lucius being patient as ever as he continued running his hand over her breast as his other hand began caressing her lower back.

"Please…" he whispered huskily. "You're the first person to make me feel anything in so long. _Let me feel. Let me feel with you."_

Aria didn't know what came over her, but all caution she had flew out the door and into the wind. She couldn't bear to deny Lucius this, and truth be told she wanted it too.

"Fuck it…" she muttered under her breath, resigning herself to the fact that she was going to break all of the rules.

"What?" said Lucius.

"Nothing," she said before she urgently kissed Lucius, letting him know she was ready and willing. She was kissing him so passionately she was pressing him up against the window seat until finally she pushed him back so that he was sitting down on the seat and she was straddling him; her dress flowing over their legs like a pool of midnight.

Lucius bucked his hips up to rub against her heated core and the two of them moaned out in youthful bliss. Aria looked down at the beautiful young man she was straddling and looked deep into his eyes and he looked back up at her with wonder and reverence in his eyes. He truly must have thought she was an angel sent to Earth for him. Another thought crossed Aria's mind briefly; she didn't actually know if Lucius was still a virgin or not. He was only 17 and although she was only 19, much more close in age than what they usually were, she didn't know about when he had actually lost his virginity; she had never thought to ask and she really didn't care to know; but the way he looked up at her with big, wide eyes full of a rare innocence for him made her stop briefly. However, he bucked his hips again, and she lost her train of thought once more. The quickest she had ever gone, she reached under the poof of her dress until she found the zipper of his slacks where his cock was straining to be released. She quickly unzipped him and felt the warm, smooth hardness in her hand. Lucius let out a breath of pleasure and shock at the feeling of her hand. "Dear God," he muttered as he buried his face into her neck and kissed her.

In another swift motion Aria reached her other hand down to move her panties to the side and impaled her wet pussy on Lucius, fully and completely. Aria buried her face in Lucius' neck as well to prevent herself from being too loud. They mustn't be caught.

Aria rode Lucius quickly and urgently and she could tell Lucius was in heaven, as his face never left her neck the whole time as he kissed it and buried his face into it as he whispered delirious words of pleasure and nothings into her ear.

"Do you like this feeling?" Aria said as she pumped herself up and down upon him. "Do you feel the love pouring out of me and into you?"

"Yes…yes…dear god yes…" Lucius said into her ear, his voice so innocent sounding. Soon enough she felt Lucius shudder uncontrollably as he hugged her closer to his body, and let out a small cry as she felt his warm cum fill her up. Aria stopped the motion of her body and just sat still and held young Lucius close and stroked his hair as he came down from his orgasm as he held her tightly, not letting go for anything.

The whole act between them had been so fast, and although Aria herself hadn't come, just the fact that she made Lucius feel amazing and happy for this night was enough for her. However, after the seductive feels of the night faded away, Aria began getting worried and knew she must head back to the future very soon.

Lucius was still embedded in her and Aria began kissing the top of his head, then his face, bringing him to look at her as she slowly slid off of him. Both of them sighed out at the loss of the others' heat and Aria straightened out her gown, as Lucius did up his slacks. "I must go soon Lucius."

"No…please…stay with me," he said as he stood up and looked down at her with desperation. "I don't know what has happened tonight, but it was the best night I have ever had. Maybe if you stay…I wouldn't have to…" he didn't finish his sentence, but his pained look out towards the door indicated that he thought if she stayed he wouldn't have to marry Narcissa.

"I'm sorry my l- Lucius," Aria said, almost accidentally saying 'my love.' "I mustn't stay. It could ruin everything; but I promise there will be a time you will be happy…just like this…just hold on to that thought."

"No please!" he said grabbing her hand and squeezing. "If you leave, I will never be happy!"

Aria stood on her tiptoes to kiss him tenderly. "You will Lucius. You have to trust me…and keep that thought with you. Promise me?"

Lucius said nothing for a while but then finally said, "I'll try."

"Good," Aria smiled. She kissed the young Lucius one last time, as she sat both of them down on the window seat again. She needed him to be sitting as she was going to use her wandless magic to put a small sleeping spell on him. Maybe if he thought he had been dreaming this all, there would be no repercussions when she got back to the future. She was nervous with what she had just done with Lucius would have maybe messed things up in her future. Very quietly she muttered " _Parvus Somnium_ ," and she slowly saw Lucius' grey eyes close as he looked at her one last time. His head finally rested against the windowpane, the white snow outside reflecting off of the whiteness of his hair as he fell asleep. With one last look of love and the hope that he would now have this precious memory, Aria turned the Time Turner in the opposite direction 15 times.

The world spinned and spinned and right before Aria felt truly sick, she found herself sitting on the same windowpane she had just been sitting at, only back in her time now. The lights from her Christmas decorations still glowed brightly, as if she had never left. Her heart grew lighter, as it seemed all was well; she just had to check in on Lucius. She went to the library a few rooms over and saw her lover, sleeping as soundly as ever, right where she left him. All of her things were still there, meaning that nothing had changed in her future. Thank Merlin she hadn't messed things up. She went to take her dress and cloak off and then heard the tiny fragments of the broken ornament she had taken with her from the past; the one Lucius had dropped when she startled him. She then had an idea for tomorrow, but that could wait and so she put the pieces of the ornament on the table. She shed her clothes and quickly stored them back in the room, and then went back to the couch and cuddled up with Lucius and soon she was asleep in his warm arms, dreaming of another time and of a beautiful young man.

* * *

Aria woke in the morning, luckily before Lucius and quickly wiggled out of his arms again. She saw the broken ornament pieces she had left on the table from the night before and held them in the palm of her hand. "Reparo," she whispered. The pieces whirled together in mid-air before forming back together to form the perfect round ornament, besides the few cracks that were still visible from the break.

Lucius stirred and Aria went to sit on the floor right next to the couch he lay on so that she could be the first thing he saw. His eyes finally opened, and fell on her, and a smile played on his lips at the sight of his woman. "Merry Christmas my love," he said as he yawned and stretched.

"Merry Christmas my love," Aria repeated back. Without another word she presented him the small silver ornament she held in her hand. If her plan had worked, he would surely recognize the ornament. "This is my Christmas gift to you…" she said tentatively waiting for his response.

He laughed briefly as he took the silver ornament out of her hands, thinking she was joking, however once he got a good look at it and studied it, the cracks in it revealing to him that it had been broken once, a furrow in his brow formed and she saw his eyes dart to hers in sudden remembrance.

"It was you?!" he said as he held the ornament to his heart. "It was always you…this whole time! You were my _guardian angel_?!"

Aria said nothing but nodded her head, a few tears falling down her face in relief and happiness. "Yes my love."

Lucius said nothing but dropped the ornament, which luckily landed on the soft couch, and clutched Aria close into his chest as he kissed the top of her head over and over again. "My girl! My beautiful Aria…you've been with me this whole time, in _here_." He said putting their conjoined hands over his heart.

"Yes, always!" she said as she kissed him with so much love; so similar to kissing the younger Lucius, only so much more sweeter.

"Somewhere deep down in my heart I always had a small glimmer of hope and light…and that has always been you. Your influence on my life is like a circle…never ending. God I love you so much," he said as he revered his angel. "This is the most precious gift I have ever gotten. I can't believe it…but how!?" he practically yelled with wonder.

Aria reached into her shirt she wore and pulled the Time Turner out from around her neck.

"This," she said looking into his eyes with her own teary ones. Based off of his reaction and confusion at seeing the item, she knew he definitely didn't know he had possessed one; but he seemed to not care in the moment and only continued to hold her close as he processed everything and his new memory he now had.

"This is the best Christmas…since…well you know…since that other one," he said with a smirk and a sigh of pleasure and happiness. Lucius possessed the most incredible woman in the whole world and he was so incredibly lucky, he thought.


	33. Chapter 33- Past, Present & Future

**Leave me a review and let me know how you're liking this! I love these two so much. Photos up on my Pinterest account for this chapter too!**

* * *

That Christmas Day was the best Christmas either Lucius or Aria had ever had. The high that Lucius was on from his new memory had him contemplating all day; contemplating what he had been through in his life since then. He had always had that small glimmer of good buried deep within him, even when he was second in command to The Dark Lord himself. Lucius could never quite cross the threshold into pure evil, and now he wondered if that was because of his Aria, going back in time to give him that glimmer of hope he so desperately needed as a young man.

Lucius had no idea how he had come into possession of the Time Turner…perhaps it was his father's…or maybe even his mother's. Either way, Lucius knew Time Turners were tricky magical items that required a lot of willpower and care to handle. Lucius knew the item was potentially dangerous when he started fantasizing about all of the other times he could use it for; he even thought it would be amazing to try and use it to go back in time to see when the prophecy for him and Aria had been created all of those centuries ago; however, in his current reality he knew that he must practice immense caution with the Time Turner.

After the shock and awe of Aria's gift to him, he had mentioned to her, rather seriously, how that whole evening could have gone horribly awry and could have put their current, present life in detriment. Aria had lowered her head in acknowledgement of her dangerous actions, as she realized the risk she had taken, and both of them had promised each other to put the Time Turner safely away back up in the attic and to only use it if absolutely necessary.

Lucius still had the last part of his gift to give to Aria though, and so, with the serious conversations behind them for now, he told her to go put on something warm so he could show her the surprise he had for her out in the gardens. Within minutes Aria came to meet him at the bottom of the stairs, bundled up in one of her fur-lined coats and with excitement in her eyes.

The emerald earrings he had given her the night before on Christmas Eve were honestly so stunning and completely enough, but knowing Lucius, he reveled in spoiling her and so she relented to the fact that he wanted to get her more than just one gift.

Lucius smiled at his excitable, glowing fiancé and grabbed her by the hand as he led her out into the gardens. Within seconds of looking around, Aria immediately saw what her gift was, and she beamed at Lucius as he looked at her with a warm smile of his own.

"Lucius are those…for us?" Aria said as she ran down the stone steps and over to the first large circular fountain that was the main centerpiece of the Malfoy Gardens.

"Of course, my love. If not for us than who else?" he smirked as he slowly caught up to where Aria was sitting at the fountain's edge.

Aria stared in wonder at the two silver-white swans that gracefully swam contentedly in the middle of the large pool of water. The birds seemed to glow as if magically lit from within, much like how Aria and Lucius often looked when their soul mate bond was magically charged on those special nights.

Lucius could tell Aria was mesmerized and beyond touched and he spoke to her softly as he let her know of their importance. "These two swans represent our patronuses. I was so moved to know that we were both swans and I wanted to have that represented in our gardens. Our connection is so special, just as these swans are. They are the rarest of breeds, only to be found in the Wizarding World, in the snowy remote mountains and glaciers of Greenland. That is what makes their feathers seem to shine in the light of the sun and moon."

"Lucius…." Aria whispered softly as her stare was still locked on the beautiful swans swimming about in the pool, circling each other until they stopped swimming and laid their long necks on each other, twisted around as if in a warm embrace. The two swans cuddled and floated together, napping in the crisp Christmas Day sun. "They are so beautiful."

Lucius smiled as he kissed the top of Aria's head. "They are lovers of course; like us…. hopefully by this time in the Spring there will be little swan hatchlings swimming about."

Aria stood up and embraced her thoughtful and romantic wizard and gazed into his eyes. "You think of everything."

"Only for you," he replied back as he leaned his head in and kissed her, breathing in her scent and essence.

"Maybe in the Spring…something else magical can happen too?" Aria said meekly as she looked up into Lucius' shining silver eyes.

Lucius cocked his head slightly to the side and raised one of his eyebrows in a questioning look.

"Maybe we can plan our wedding for then…" Aria continued, flushing slightly, as she got a surge of shyness that ran through her. Lucius and she hadn't really talked about anything to do with wedding planning since becoming engaged as there always seemed to be something else going on, distracting them from that topic.

Lucius smiled widely however, causing Aria to feel a wave of relief. "Is that what you want my love? A spring wedding?"

"I just want to be Mrs. Malfoy as soon as humanly possible," she beamed as she laid her head against his chest and held him tightly around his waist.

She heard a low grumble of satisfaction in his chest and felt his own grip around her waist tighten. "You know I could always whisk you away right now and we could elope?" he chuckled slightly as he felt her tense at the idea.

She looked back up at him. "Really?"

He shrugged, "I was mainly kidding…of course, I would be willing to do so if you desired that…but to be honest, nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing you walking down a beautiful aisle like the Queen you are with hundreds of people there, your friends and family amongst them, to witness your stunning beauty," he said dreamily.

"And to witness our love of course," she added with a smile.

"So, it's settled then? A Spring Wedding," he said breathily and dazed as if he was daydreaming about it already.

Aria adored how romantic Lucius could be. No one knew that side of him at all, except for her, and she knew people would be stunned to learn Lucius was such a romantic. A man who wanted a beautiful wedding for his wife and to one day build a family. Aria couldn't wait to start the rest of her life with her amazing man and she felt so incredibly lucky that she had been the one to release this hidden side of him.

* * *

The two spent a bit walking through the gardens until the snow began to fall more heavily around them, and so they made their way back inside to escape the cold and enjoy the perfect Christmas Day scene from their windows. As the snow fell and the clouds began blocking out the sun in the sky, the house elves lit all of the fireplaces and candles around the Manor and Aria made sure all of the beautiful Christmas trees were lit and glowing one final time. Aria eventually found Lucius in the room she least expected him to, the drawing room. He was standing alone, looking out that same window she had found him staring out of when she went back in time to his younger self. The déjà vu made her skin tingle all over.

This time however, Lucius heard her approach and smiled at her as she made her way over to him.

"You know it's odd yet amazing…" he began, "But I no longer dread this room anymore like I usually do. And it's all because you implanted that beautiful memory into my mind. I can't help but feel good as I stare out this window. It brings back that memory to me crystal clear."

Aria smiled, her skin tingling even more at her remembrance of the memory.

"And isn't it odd and amazing to know that the last time I was in here I was making love to you…but you were your younger self…It is incredible," she said as she wrapped her arms around Lucius' neck and stared up at him; his face the same, but more mature, more angled, but just as equally beautiful.

"I must tell you something," he said with a smirk and a slight rare flush to his cheek, "you were my first…"

"What?!" said Aria in shock as she realized immediately what he was referring to.

"That night…I thought it was all a dream…a very, very good dream. It rather awakened something in me that I tried to chase all of those years, with many women…and I could never find that feeling again of perfection…that is until I met you…again.."

Aria flushed a deep rosy color realizing she had been the one to take Lucius' virginity. It was all so mind blowing, that he had taken hers months before and that she had somehow managed to bend time in a way that meant she had also been his first. It was a perfect fate.

"I wasn't too sure; it's why I struggled so much before I succumbed to your charms," she laughed slightly. "I would have thought you would have been already sexually active; you were so beyond beautiful, the whole time I couldn't help but think of how much of a heartbreaker you must have been."

Lucius smiled, his ego flaring at her compliments. "Well for much of my time at Hogwarts I was very focused on my studies and being the perfect student and perfect Prefect and House Boy…however that second half of 7th year, after I remembered the pleasure you gave me, I must admit I did go a bit crazy after that Christmas night…many of the older girls at the school were rather glad for that…except Narcissa. As you know she had already been betrothed to me and so she wasn't too keen on my new addiction during that time…"

Aria looked down. She knew Lucius had been with many women, but she still always felt a bit uncomfortable hearing about it…especially because she had only ever been with him, and him alone.

Lucius saw her look down and then sat them both down on the window seat so that he could tilt her head back up to look into her eyes, his expression open and truthful. "My love…don't you see…I spent all of those times with other women, because I was constantly trying to chase down the feeling of your sweet, velvety body, and no one could ever compare. That is why I resigned myself to the fact that I had just dreamt you up in my head. Then I met you, not realizing I already had, and felt that amazing pussy…dear God I should have figured it out sooner, but truly, no one else could ever compare to your perfect body. I am getting aroused just thinking about you in that way…" he said, his voice deep and husky.

Aria bit her lip in want and need at hearing Lucius' delicious words as he described how he had craved her all of those years and how he described his obsession with the feel of her body.

"It really has always been just us, through time and space, hasn't it?" Aria asked as she moved her body so that she straddled Lucius where he sat on the window seat.

"It's always been you," he said as he ground his hips up into her center, his eyes growing a dark grey with lust and desire.

Just as urgently as she had made love to his younger self, in the same room, in the same spot and in the same position, Aria kissed Lucius quickly before reaching down to release his now erect cock from his pants by unzipping them, but not taking his pants actually off of him. She hiked up her sweater dress and pushed aside her panties and hovered herself briefly over Lucius, before urgently impaling herself onto him. The direct parallels between their present and the past were absolutely amazing, and Aria clutched to Lucius' shoulders and closed her eyes blissfully as she began riding him, although now she was glad she didn't have to hide her face behind a mask in the darkness.

"Yes, my gorgeous girl, this is what I dreamed about all of those years. This is what nothing and no one else could compare to," Lucius groaned out with pleasure as he grabbed Aria's ass in his hands and squeezed as she rode him.

Aria kissed him passionately, her pace never slowing down or faltering as she kept at a rhythm that drove both of them wild. If there ever was a most perfect and passionate winter scene, this was it. The two magical beings making love at the large gilded window overlooking the beautiful snowy Winter Wonderland outside, the snow falling steadily as two beautiful blondes found life's purpose within each other's bodies.

Lucius' grip on Aria's ass tightened and she would probably get fingerprint bruises, but she didn't care at all, as Lucius' leverage on her was making her ride him even faster as he helped guide and speed the motion of her body. The man was in heaven and his eyes rolled back into his head as Aria buried her face into his neck to breath in his scent and kiss and suck the tender skin there. Lucius was so close to coming but he didn't want to come before his woman, and he knew his younger self hadn't had the forethought or the experience to make her come from the night before.

It was harder to make a woman come in this position, but Lucius was so skilled now and so in tune with every part of Aria's body and what made her tick that he knew what would help drive her over the edge. He held her body closer to his own and he slammed his hips up to meet hers as he drove the most addictive smaller yet beyond deep thrusts up into her, touching that most sensitive spot inside. As he held her close, this caused her clit to rub up against the material of his pants which he still wore, which caused the most amazing friction against her sensitive nub. With the combination of his deep, hard thrusts and the friction on her clit, Lucius felt Aria slightly nip at his neck and dig her nails into his shoulders before he felt her beginning to shudder all around him, and finally explode. Her pussy pulsated and clenched all around him and it took every ounce of willpower in him not to lose himself with her, as he wanted to ride her out as she continued to orgasm for what seemed like an age.

"Lucius!" she cried as he began thrusting even faster up into her as she came all over his iron hard cock.

"Yes my love! Good girl!" he said as made love to her tight, velvet heat. It was so tight during her orgasm he felt like he might have hurt her with his size, but he knew she was in as much bliss as he was in.

"I love being your good girl," she said as she buried her face into his neck once more.

That one sentence sent Lucius himself over the edge, and he came incredibly hard inside of her as he wrapped his arms tightly around her petit body. The two shuddered and sighed out together in pleasure after having both just orgasmed so hard and remained connected for a while. Aria was facing the window, while Lucius had been sitting and facing out into the drawing room, and Aria felt at such peace as she sat, still impaled on her love, watching the snow fall outside. She could almost fall asleep like that if she let herself.

* * *

Eventually the two Veela lovers got up and put on their comfy silk robes, so happy to be in love and free to be comfortable in their glorious and magical Manor. Lucius had never felt happier as he knew he didn't need to dress fancy for Aria, like he had felt he had to do his whole life. He loved good fashion of course, but his latest pleasure was simply being able to be in his comfortable, silk robes and walk around the house with Aria. With the amount of love making sessions they had, their comfortable robes were easiest to get off anyways.

The two enjoyed yet another amazing meal fit for a King and Queen to celebrate Christmas, all thanks to the amazing house elves, who Aria always made sure to thank. Ever since Aria came into the Manor, and Lucius' personality and attitude had lightened considerably, the elves were a lot happier it seemed, and Aria was glad to see they no longer acted scared all of the time in the presence of the master of the house.

Later that evening Aria and Lucius were enjoying some 50-year-old aged port wine, as they cuddled on the couch as Lucius read to her Wizarding Christmas Tales out of an ancient book. Aria was beyond relaxed, her orgasm from earlier, mixed with the fine wine, mixed with Lucius' honeyed voice reading to her, it was the best way she could have imagined ending Christmas. Lucius was about to finish the second Christmas tale, when all of a sudden, they both heard 3 solid knocks coming from the massive front doors.

Aria immediately snapped out of her pleasurable haze and was immediately alert. Lucius himself tensed; he hadn't expected anyone tonight, especially not at this hour and he knew Aria hadn't been expecting anyone either.

"Let me go see who that could be," said Lucius as he began getting up from the couch. Aria immediately grabbed his hand and clung to it. Lucius' heart panged with emotion when he realized she must have been concerned, since the last time someone had knocked on the door like that, it had been the Ministry come to take him away.

"I'm going with you," she said as she immediately got up, her hand still clinging to his own and her other hand coming up to grab his arm as well.

He kissed her on the head, letting her know he wasn't going anywhere, and nothing was happening to him, and led them downstairs to the front doors to see who was disturbing them so late. When they got to the front door, Lucius grabbed his wand out of his robe pocket just in case, and slowly opened the door. Much to his shock, and Aria's as well, Draco was standing on the front step, head down slightly shielding himself from the snow that was falling more and more thickly.

"Draco…" Lucius said in a deep voice. He was none too pleased to see his estranged son. His Christmas had been so amazing so far, and the only thing he could think of is that his son had come to ruin it; why else would he come?

"Father," said Draco quietly, barely looking at his father in the eyes. "Aria.." he said as he raised his head and looked at her for the first time with some semblance of humility.

Aria said nothing and stepped in closer to Lucius, almost as if trying to hide herself. Draco had brought her nothing but pain and misery since the moment she first met him. She absolutely didn't trust him and couldn't tell why he was being so opposite from how he usually acted. Lucius hated seeing Aria cower at the site of his son, and he felt shame and anger. Aria truly was his family now, and literally no one would hurt her while he was living on this Earth.

"What do you want?" Lucius said coldly his grey eyes piercing into Draco. Draco himself, stepped back a bit at the intensity and hatred in his father's eyes.

"Can I…can I come in?" he said meekly.

Lucius looked down at Aria immediately at the same time as she looked up into his eyes, as if asking each other what they should do. Should they allow him in? Allow him to potentially ruin their night…if not future…as that is what he always seemed to be out to do.

"Please Father! It's rather cold!" Draco said, almost begging to be let in.

Aria winced at the patheticness in his voice and felt only the slightest twinge of sympathy for him, but then quickly remembered all the pain he had caused her and Lucius.

"Well Draco…I don't know what to say…perhaps you should ask Aria, as it is her home as well…" Lucius said narrowing his eyes at his son, daring him to ask.

Aria looked from Lucius to Draco in silence, waiting for the younger Malfoy to speak to her. She could tell it pained Draco to have to beg to be let in to his childhood home, but it seemed his desire to come in and talk outweighed his pride.

"Can I please come in Aria…I promise I don't mean any ill will," he said looking at her in the eyes and then down at the ground.

Aria looked back up at Lucius, and slightly shrugged her shoulders and nodded her head as if indicating he could invite Draco in.

"Fine…" Lucius said as he opened the door wider and let in his son. Not bothering to look back, Lucius lead the way with Aria in hand, up the stairs and to the drawing room so that they could all sit down and see what Draco wanted to discuss.

Draco and Lucius sat at the large table that took up most of the drawing room, while Aria went over to light the fire in the grand fireplace and then took her place standing next to Lucius' chair, her arm on his shoulder, so that they could present themselves as a solid, united front.

Draco looked around a bit not saying anything and then finally spoke. "Looks brilliant in here…all the Christmas decorations…never looked like this growing up," he said as he attempted to compliment Aria's handywork with the Manor.

Aria said nothing but crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked down. What was he really here for?

Almost as if reading her mind, Lucius finally spoke, his deep voice icy in its tone. "What is it that you wanted to come here to say Draco?"

Draco put his hands clasped together in his lap. He was nervous. "Well…I just wanted to say…well…I'm sorry…so sorry."

Lucius just stared at his son in shock. He had longed to hear these words from his son, but after everything that had happened, sorry didn't seem quite enough.

"Draco…sorry doesn't quite cover what you put me through…what you put Aria through. You almost ruined our lives…permanently!"

"I know father I know! And I am so so sorry! I was hurt and had felt so estranged….I am just so so sorry!" he said as he ran his fingers through his platinum hair.

Lucius looked down at the table and didn't say anything. Aria put her hand back on Lucius' shoulder in support and then spoke.

"I understand you might have been hurt…might not have wanted your father to be involved with someone else that wasn't your mother….but you were responsible for him being almost sent back to Azkaban….I almost died because of your mother…"Aria said quietly as she looked at Draco intensely.

"I had nothing to do with that Aria, believe me!" Draco said immediately after Aria had mentioned her poisoning. "That is part of the reason why I came…after the trial…when what you two were was revealed, that you were soul mates…and then when my mum tried poisoning you….killing you! I knew then that I couldn't take it anymore and that I wanted to apologize for all that I had done. I never meant it to go that far."

"But you _did_ mean for it to go that far Draco!" Lucius practically shouted. "After the Hogwarts Ball on Samhain, you and Narcissa were waiting for us here, in this very room, telling me that you would make sure I would rot away in Azkaban for what I had done to protect Aria!"

"I know I know!" Draco said clutching his head in his hands. "But at the trial, when I found out you did what you did for Aria because you loved her….I knew you were a changed man…I never thought you could actually be capable of that type of love. Father you must believe me, I haven't spoken to mother since the trial…especially not after I found out she had tried to kill Aria with poison!"

Lucius huffed out a sigh, not quite knowing what to say. "And how is your mother coping with that? With not being able to speak to her beloved son?"

"Not well…" Draco admitted with a cringe. "She of course blames it all still on Aria…that Aria has now taken away both of her men. We didn't even get together for Christmas, I was alone this year. That is another reason why I wanted to come…I didn't have anyone else," he said his voice starting to break with emotion.

"You have no one else to blame but yourself for your loneliness Draco…" Lucius said unempathetically. "Just as I had no one else to blame but myself for my own loneliness…until I met Aria, the love of my life, my soul mate. She taught me that I no longer had to be alone and that I could actually _love_ ," he said as he reached his hand up to rest on Aria's which was still resting on his shoulder.

Aria smiled at Lucius' words and rubbed his hand with her thumb. She saw Draco taking in their tender touches almost as if he was in awe of what he saw; never truly have seeing real love before.

Draco nodded his head in agreement and swallowed hard. "Well there is another reason I came tonight…" he said gravely.

Lucius and Aria said nothing and waited for him to continue.

"Mother has been going crazy since learning her poison didn't work…. she is still going to come for you. She won't stop until you are dead," Draco said as he looked Aria in the eye, letting her know that he was being serious.

Aria felt Lucius shudder and then tense under her hand, as if he was about to spring up and go murder the vile witch himself.

"I WILL NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN!" screamed Lucius.

In a much calmer voice, Aria stepped forward and spoke. "No, we absolutely won't. We are ready… _I am ready."_

"You don't know her…" Draco said ominously.

"And she doesn't know me!" Aria said as she raised her hand and used her wandless magic within her to ignite a glowing fireball in her hand.

Draco jumped back in his chair, clearly not expecting Aria to wield such magic.

"I've been training, thanks to your father….and I will never let that woman harm me ever again or scare me into submission," she said as she flicked her hand to make the fireball disappear.

Lucius looked up at Aria from where he sat with so much pride and adoration. What a strong, powerful, beautiful witch.

The three of them stayed silent for a while and Aria finally sighed out as her adrenaline quickly left her. She felt all of a sudden incredibly tired. She decided she would go drink one last nightcap and let the two men talk a bit. They really needed to. If Draco truly did want to patch things up and make emends, that would need to begin with himself and Lucius. Aria would let Draco make it up to her in due time.

"I'll let you two talk," Aria said as she went to leave the room. Lucius grabbed her hand as if not wanted her to leave him, but Aria squeezed his hand back in reassurance, and he smiled briefly at her before letting her leave the room.

Aria waited in the library sipping on her nightcap of the delicious aged port as she stared into the fire deep in thought about what her future held. She felt anxious about what could happen when Narcissa decided to strike, but she wasn't scared. After about an hour she heard shuffling and walking and peaked out of the library door and she quietly walked out onto the landing which overlooked the grand entry way downstairs. She saw Lucius and Draco standing there, in front of the large doors, and all of a sudden Draco reached his hand out. His father looked at his son's hands for a few moments before slowly reaching out to clasp hands and shake. It was a brief shake, but it was a start, and Aria was relieved that Lucius and Draco could maybe heal their relationship. Draco still had a lot of amends to make with everything that he put them through, but Aria hoped it was the beginning of that.

Aria met Lucius back at the top of the stairs, after Lucius trudged his way up. He said nothing but brought Aria into his strong, warm arms and just held her. After a while of just holding her and breathing in her scent to calm himself he spoke.

"Sorry our night didn't end as peacefully as we would have hoped," he sighed.

"No it didn't…but it was important," Aria said as she held onto Lucius.

"I won't let anything ever happen to you my love, know that," Lucius said fiercely as he pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"I know Lucius," she said as she reached up and cupped his cheek in her small hand. "And I you."

"My brave, beautiful Goddess," he said as he leaned in to kiss her tenderly.

A flush came to her cheek at Lucius' beautiful words and romantic kiss and she sighed out as she heard the clock strike midnight.

"Let's go to bed my love," Lucius said, his voice sounding emotionally exhausted.

"Yes, let's," Aria replied back, her body exhausted, but her mind ready for whatever would come next in their future.


	34. An Outlet For Darkness

**Sorry it took a while! I had to get a new computer and then I was sick for a bit! Leave me some reviews! It really helps motivate me!**

* * *

Over the next few days Aria and Lucius had their guards up after Draco's visit. Although not scared by Draco's warning about Narcissa's imminent revenge upon Aria, Lucius and Aria left nothing up to chance. The wards and spells that surrounding their house were heightened, literally making it near impossible for anyone to penetrate the Malfoy Manor grounds. Of course the only people that would be able to break such spells were very skilled Ministry workers and Aurors. It gave Aria a slight sense of isolation, as her and Lucius hunkered down over the next few days, but Lucius was adamant. He would literally do anything for his Aria, and his fierce protection of her was intense, but very romantic and old fashioned. He rarely let her out of his sight, and the magnet that seemed to always bind the two together was as strong as ever.

"I'll be okay Lucius. I am ready for whatever comes. With you training me in wandless magic I feel more powerful than ever. I am not scared of her," Aria had said one peaceful yet snowy afternoon, as the two walked hand in hand around their sprawling gardens, admiring the snow dusted plants and the beautiful swans in their epic fountain.  
"I know. You are my brave and beautiful goddess," said Lucius, as he squeezed her hand tightly. "But I just can never let something like the poisoning you suffered happen again. That nearly broke me…almost losing you…Please, just let me protect you in my own ways. It settles my nerves and makes me feel better about this situation," he sighed out as they continued walking through the soft snow.

Aria squeezed Lucius' hand back in acknowledgement of his feelings. The fierce side of him needed to protect her, for his own sense of sanity and she understood. "You're my hero," she said as she stopped in her tracks and turned him to look at her as she reached her hand up and rubbed his cheek softly with her fingertips.

Lucius closed his eyes in pleasure at her touch and drew her in closer so that their hips were connected and they were flush against each other. He then opened his eyes and Aria could see so much emotion going on behind the grey depths.

"I can feel my dark side rearing up its ugly head….I so badly want to hunt down Narcissa and end that woman for threatening you…" his voice shuddered as he admitted his truth to Aria. "I want to… _kill her_ …"

Aria shuddered slightly at his words, but continued stroking his cheek in comfort as he closed his eyes again as if trying to hide his darkness. Aria knew that Lucius had changed…so incredibly much from his darker past, but she knew in many situations he could become that fierce and feared man he had been, back when he had been a Death Eater…back when doing bad things had come as second nature. When it came to his love for her especially, Lucius was extremely protective and loyal and if that meant utilizing his darker side to protect her, she knew in an instant he would do so.

"You can't," said Aria quietly, almost in a whisper. "I can never have you get taken away from me ever again. Please," she pleaded with pain in her eyes as she thought of the last time Lucius had done something illegal, almost costing him his life and freedoms by almost getting sent back to Azkaban for that whole fiasco with Paolo when Aria had first arrived in England.

Lucius sighed out his emotions. He wanted so badly to kill Narcissa for what she was doing, but Aria was right. Any slip up and he would have a one way ticket back to Azkaban and murder was one rather large slip-up that he couldn't risk.

"I know," he whispered in a husky voice as he leaned his head down to her and kissed her on the lips with an urgent passion. His lips moved against hers sensually, the softness and warmth of his lips causing her to moan a bit in delight as his mouth parted hers as he caressed her lips with his tongue. His hands traveling up to her neck and then to grab her hair lightly as he pressed her head in closer to his. Aria had been a bit chilly before as they had walked in the snow, but now her body was warm and full of love as Lucius kissed her into a dizzying bliss.

As they parted, both of their cheeks flushed from the feeling of love they felt, they walked a bit further, back towards the Manor, towards the main parterre that led into the grand ballroom to step inside, when Aria noticed a pile of what appeared to be letters scatted about; luckily the pile of letters had landed under one of the marble columns of the Manor so the snow wasn't able to get the paper wet.

"What are all of these?" Aria said as she gathered the letters in her hands, instantly noticing they were tied with the tell-tale blue ribbon from the Ministry.

Lucius looked up into the sky as he thought. "Well, the Ministry owls probably couldn't penetrate the wards and protective charms we have…most likely got sent back and then the Ministry resent them back this way. They are after all the only ones who can really penetrate our barriers….even if this was rather messy…" he said indicating to the spot the letters had been scattered about.

"Do you think they will be suspicious of us and why we have so many protection spells?" Asked Aria.

"Most likely," Lucius admitted as he rolled his eyes. The Ministry of course only expected the very worst from him…even after everything he and Aria had been through with them. "Here let's step inside and give these a read shall we?" Lucius said as he put his hand on the small of her back and gently led her back inside to the warmth of their home.

When they were back inside up in the library, Lucius went over to pour himself a dram of whisky. It was rather early, but Aria knew it was his stress and his pent up anger at the whole situation of waiting for Narcissa to strike.

Aria gently tore open the first letter from the Ministry, a bit of anxiety creeping through her bones. However, the letter was actually rather good news and Aria couldn't help but breath out a sigh of relief and smile. The first project she had ever done for the Ministry, her work on Midhope Castle in Scotland, was almost done being restored to its former glory. The letter stated that the grand staircase of the Castle was finally repaired and deemed safe for use and that the final touches on the restoration of the historic ceiling were close to being done as well.

_Thanks to your determination, passion and skill set, the restoration of this Castle will be complete on February 14th of next year. The Ministry and the British Historical Society invite you to a grand reveal and gala dinner on the date listed above to celebrate this historical triumph of Wizarding History preservation. Please RSVP via the included card no later than January 31st._

"Lucius, look at this!" She said as she handed him the letter.

Lucius read it over quickly and smiled. "This is amazing my love. You should be incredibly proud….and of course we will go to celebrate your great accomplishment."

"I am so excited to go back to Scotland to see all of the work that's been done on the Castle. It was so beautiful, even when derelict, I can only imagine how stunning it is now. Oh Lucius it'll be so amazing to be back in Scotland with you, and to be open about our relationship this time," she smirked, remembering their last trip. Their relationship had been very new and very secret.

Lucius smirked as well and raised his brow at her seductively. "Well, I must say I would like to make use of that tent again…as well as head back to the Callanish Stones for another night of mind-blowing carnal passion."

Aria's stomach fluttered in delight at his mention of their time in his magical tent and at the Callanish Stones in Scotland. That magical night under the stars, when the two lovers had experienced the true beginnings of their powerful soul mate connection had been one of the most significant nights of her life. And she knew it was one of his most important nights as well.

"I can't wait," she said as she sauntered closer to him and reached up to put her hands around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes to reach up to plant her lips against his in a seductive kiss that left them both breathless. Aria sighed as she unclasped her hands from around his neck and went back over to reach the next two letters. "Stop distracting me," she said jokingly as she looked over at Lucius with a lingering smirk. He too was still smiling as he took a sip from his dram of whisky.

The next letter was another one from her old Ambassador's department at the Ministry, this time with a job offer for her. Aria felt odd about the situation; on one hand it was slightly weird that her ex-employer was still asking her to take on projects. On the other hand it was really flattering that the Ministry had sent this job her way, instead of just finding someone else in the department to do it. It made her feel good that the quality of her work was so well recognized that even her old employer still thought she was the best one for the job.

The letter read:

_Miss De La Cour,_   
_The Ministry would like to extend this project to you, since we feel as if your skills and expertise are quite fitting for this request that has just come in. The College of Oxford has requested that one of the Ministry's best historians and archivists come and help them with the desperately needed reorganization and archiving of their precious ancient texts, predominantly their alchemical volumes and rare Wizarding texts at the world famous Bodlian Library._

_We realize that you are no longer in our employ, however we couldn't think of anyone more suited for the post and we have assured Oxford College that we would get the best and most passionate person for the job, whom we trust wholeheartedly to do a thorough job. If you wish to take this position, starting the 1st of March, we will put you in touch with the contact over at the College. Please respond at your earliest convenience._

Aria was holding her breath the entire time she read the letter. What an amazing and exciting opportunity. The history at Oxford was legendary. The library itself, the amazing Bodlian Library, was one of the largest and most historically significant in the world. Although Muggles were the ones mainly known to attend Oxford College, Aria knew the College often accepted many witches and wizards and that the library had a whole magical wing that witches and wizards could use that was kept secret from the Muggles. The library was thought to be even grander than Hogwarts' and Lucius' combined. If it wasn't for the Ministry program she had initially joined when she first moved to Britain, Oxford College had always been on her list of experiences she would have loved to pursue. Of course she didn't have any regrets of her choice of path, since the Ministry Program is what had led her to Lucius. However, there was no way she would turn down this opportunity now that it presented itself. It was too perfect for her, and the Ministry was right….she was the perfect person for this job!

As Lucius finished his dram of whisky he came up behind Aria to read the letter she was holding which had captivated her so. As he read over her shoulder he almost laughed out in disbelief. How had the Ministry ever let her quit her position there? They were fools for letting someone as smart and amazing as her get away without so much as a fight to keep her in their employ. Of course she was the absolute best person for this position and it made Lucius roll his eyes that the Ministry had to practically crawl back to her begging for her to do the job.

"Well of course you should take the job," said Lucius. "However- don't let them take one ounce of credit after the job is finished. Yes, they may be the ones who let you know of this position, but without your talent and skills, which I am sure will be most impressive to Oxford, they wouldn't have anyone to send. You must take all of the credit," he concluded firmly.

"Oh yes I quite agree," Aria said as she folded up the letter with a smile and laid it on her favorite desk in the library. She would respond immediately later that afternoon. "However it does make me wonder if I made a mistake in quitting…" she said as she bit her lip with concern.

"Not at all," Lucius said with reassurance. "You are free to do what you want to do…and that is everything…trust me."

Aria nodded her head in agreement. Lucius knew what the cost of not having freedom was, and so he really did know what he was talking about.

Aria reached for the last letter that had come for them. This time both of their names were on the envelope. She gently pulled apart the fancy wax seal on the back and revealed a rather beautiful letter that was intricately designed.

_Aria De La Cour & Lucius Malfoy_   
_You are cordially invited to the Minister for Magic's annual New Year's Eve Ball in celebration of the past year and the upcoming New Year._   
_Please arrive in proper, formal attire and send your attendance responses within two days of receiving this invitation._   
_We look forward to seeing you to ring in the New Year._

"A New Year's Eve Balls sounds lovely!" Enthused Aria. She always loved dressing up in fine clothing and dancing the night away with her love. Every time there was a Ball, Lucius and Aria always seemed to have the most magical nights with each other.

"No," Lucius said firmly, with a darkness in his eyes.

"Wh…what?" Asked Aria confused. She would have thought that Lucius might be happy that he wasn't being shunned from Wizarding Society like he usually had been. That maybe the Minister finally saw that he was a changed man.

"But we should feel happy we were invited. I know you had had your strong quarrels with the Minister, but I think this invitation to the New Year's Ball is also an invitation to move past your differences," said Aria as she walked towards Lucius and grabbed his hand.

"It isn't that my love…I would gladly take you to the Ball…Merlin knows we could use some drinking and dancing…but it's not safe," he said stoically, the dark look deepening in his silver eyes.

"What do you mean?" Asked Aria.

"It is the perfect opportunity for Narcissa to attack…" he said angrily, almost through gritted teeth.

Aria furrowed her brow. Narcissa had been on her mind earlier, but when she had read the invitation for the Ball, Narcissa had been the last thing on her mind. "At a Ball? Won't there be many Aurors in attendance? Doesn't it take place at the Ministry?"

"It does not take place at the Ministry…it is held every year at the Minister's Mansion…it is always something the Wizarding society looks forward to. There could be a chance Narcissa could have been invited as well…or if not…she could definitely sneak in. Aurors or not…it wouldn't be hard to do if she really wanted to get to you."

Aria swallowed back her emotions. She didn't want this woman and the threat of her to ruin her life. "I just don't see her trying to attack at a Ball in front of so many people."

"No Aria…please," Lucius pleaded with her to see reason as he squeezed her hands which held his.

Aria looked down, still not willing to give up. "But all of my friends will be there…Pepper, Hermione…all of my Ministry coworkers I haven't seen in ages…"

"Aria I am trying to protect you!"

"I know Lucius, I know! But we can't stay locked in the Manor forever, scared to go out for fear of that woman!"

"I possess no fear of her!" Lucius began to yell out into the room. "I fear myself! Do you not realize it is literally taking all of my power and my strength and my focus to not go out and murder the woman! Fuck!" He said as he began pacing around in front of the raging fireplace as he ran his fingers through his silky, platinum hair. The blazing fire reflecting the emotions that he was feeling inside of his soul. His dark side was bubbling up to the surface and he could barely contain it any longer.

"Lucius…" Aria began as she stepped towards her lover, her hand outstretched as if to place it tenderly on his arm, however he was pacing too quickly and Aria knew that he was so close to exploding. Tenderness is not what he needed right now. All of the days of worry, of anxiety, and of anger about Narcissa was putting him over the edge. His dark energy reminded her of that one time down in the dungeon when he had been so consumed by his dark side that he had taken her body roughly, in the most dangerously seductive way she had ever known. It had been slightly terrifying, yet oddly one of the most arousing ways he had ever had her body. Butterflies formed in her stomach thinking about that day and she felt herself getting wet as she thought about it. She knew then he needed to release all of that rage, to let his dark side reign free for a brief moment; and she would let him….oh she would definitely let him.

With hooded green eyes full of understanding of what he needed, Aria stepped in front of his path as he made his way to pace back towards her and looked up at him. Lucius saw the meaning behind her eyes, and his own dark, fiery gaze pierced hers, his mouth set into a straight line, almost a grimace, as he held in all of his emotions.

In one step he was pressed up against her body, he was so incredibly tall compared to her when he stood that close and she had to crane her neck a bit to fully look up at him, as he consumed her with his gaze, claiming her as his to protect, and his alone. He was breathing heavily, his warm breath tickling her ear as he leaned down and in to whisper to her. "You are mine…" he practically growled as his hand reached up to her delicate neck as he wrapped his large fingers firmly around it. It wasn't to choke her of course, but it was enough to let her know that she was his, especially in this moment, to do with her what he will.

With her breath caught in her throat, Aria shuddered at his words and his warm breath tickled her ear. Lucius began walking them back so that the back of her legs were pressed up against the arm of the nearest couch to the fireplace.

Without removing his hand from her throat he looked down at her again with the same fire and passion and Aria knew he was in a way, asking her permission to release some of his anger into her; to use her as a means to absorb some of his darkness.

"Take me Lucius," she said huskily.

Without any further talking he quickly removed his hand from her throat and grabbed her firmly by her hips and turned her around so that she was now facing the couch. She felt him grab her sweater she was wearing in his hand and heard him deeply say under his breath "dismoveo." In an instant all of her clothes disappeared off of her body and she stood there, completely naked, feeling Lucius then trail his hands up and down her bare back and then down to her ass as he squeezed it hard causing her to gasp out at the intensity of his touch.

Since he had used wandless magic as he had touched her, he had opened up their mental connection, which happened whenever they used such magic while touching, and she felt all of his emotions; she felt his dark side like she never had before. It felt like her insides were as wild as the flames in the fireplace and like a dark snake was trying to make its way up and out of her body as if controlling her. She understood this side of Lucius now more than ever before and it was all-consuming.

As Aria moaned out again into the room, her mind cloudy with Lucius' rage, power and arousal, she heard him quickly removing his belt and heard his pants fall to the floor as he roughly bent her over so that her upper half was over the arm of the couch and her backside was in full view for him to admire. With a growl of manly need, she felt his large cock enter her roughly causing the both of them to practically scream out into the room with pure ecstasy.

There was nothing gentle about the way he plowed into her over and over again letting all of his rage flow out of him. Every single movement in and out of her was unbridled and she felt his strong hands gripping her hips and then her ass for leverage as he continued to fuck her like he never had before. The slapping of his heated body against hers sounded so naughty and their mental connection was still open, so all that the two felt was one wavelength of primal need for the other; pure sex.

"Yes Lucius! Fuck me harder" screamed Aria as she felt the magnificent man behind her plunge even harder into her body. His cock was so hard and huge that it felt like the tip of it was pressing up into her stomach with each thrust. It felt so deep and so good and Aria literally had to brace her hands on the cushion of the couch to keep herself firmly in place. The man moved as fast as a machine and his grip on her ass was getting tighter and tighter, surely leaving bruises.

"YOU. ARE. MINE!" He groaned out as he slapped her ass with a numbing strength.

Aria screamed out and moaned at the same time as his slap stung incredibly, but felt so oddly good at the same time.

"Yes I am yours. All yours Lucius!" Aria screamed out.

Lucius' thrusts became more and more erratic and intense and Aria knew he was close to coming in that moment. She could mentally feel it as well as her brain became even more hazy and it felt like she had static electricity flowing through her brain. She was practically seeing stars.

With one final roar of dominance, Lucius came deep inside Aria, his thrusts immediately stopping as he stood there as his orgasm and his darkness flowed out of him. He was breathing heavily as the upper half of his body practically collapsed over Aria's. So different from his dominance and his near violence from before, he began peppering gentle kisses along her smooth shoulders and then back. He then pulled out of her, his seed erotically dripping out of her center and down the side of her legs. Her ass had turned rather bright red at his treatment of it and he bent his head down so that he peppered gentle kisses on the tender part of her bum as well. Aria hummed out in relief and pleasure at the feeling of his kisses on her, but she still couldn't summon the strength to get up off of the couch yet.

Instead of making her get up, Lucius walked around to the couch and sprawled out on it and opened up his arms for Aria to fall into. With a sigh of happiness Aria immediately crawled forward so that her body lay in Lucius' strong arms, both of them lying naked and warm and drunk with love.

"Thank you," Lucius said huskily as he held her in his arms. "That helped immensely."

"I understand my love. I know how sometimes that side of you can build up…especially in situations where my safety and my well being is concerned. I am glad I can be…an outlet for you…during those times," she smiled into his chest.

Lucius chuckled at her statement. Yes she was indeed a rather perfect outlet for him to release his dark side into. She absorbed that side of him up like a sponge and intern gave him back nothing but pleasure and love. It did help that he knew she also enjoyed that side of him sometimes as well; the dominant, darker side which aroused him to realize that.

The two lay on the couch, practically dozing off into sleep for some time. Now that his head was cleared though and free of his worried haze for a bit, Lucius had began thinking about the New Year's Ball as he twirled a piece of Aria's hair in his fingers. Perhaps she was right….there were sure to be numerous Aurors there…it was a very high profile event. Narcissa wouldn't dare try to do anything….would she? He couldn't be sure. She had been bold enough to send a poison letter to Aria straight to the Ministry and got away with it. Lucius was still worried, but he knew how much Aria loved going out to Balls with him and all of her Ministry friends would be there and he wanted her to be happy. Lucius kissed the top of her head, his decision made. She stirred lightly, awakening from her groggy state of post-sex bliss.

"My love…"Lucius began as he ran his fingers through her hair comfortingly.

"Mhmmm?"

"I shall indeed take you to the Ball," he said gently.

Aria smiled and cuddled up even tighter against him; clearly happy with what he just said. "You sound like Prince Charming," she laughed.

Lucius chuckled as well but simply said, "I want you to be happy. At the end of the day, that is all I will ever want."

"I love you Lucius," Aria said as she kissed his smooth chest from where she lay on him.

"And I you."

* * *

December 31st arrived; the day of New Year's Eve. Although Lucius had ended up being agreeable to them going to the Ball, he still told Aria that he wanted them both to be on their highest guards. In the middle of the day he even made her practice a bit of her wandless magic, just incase. They didn't open up their mental connection via the wandless magic; Lucius wanted no distractions. And so, Aria worked on her magic by herself until she felt almost too exhausted to go to the Ball. At around 5 o'clock she made her way upstairs to get ready. Lucius had bought her a beyond gorgeous deep-green velvet dress with seductive black lace detailing and she couldn't wait to wear it. She would also be wearing his mother's stunning emerald necklace she had worn that night to the Samhain Ball at Hogwarts.

Lucius had already been ready and was waiting for her in the grand entry way of the Manor. As Aria walked down the large staircase towards him, he looked at her up and down, his eyes widening and his mouth slightly hanging open. She looked absolutely stunning; like the perfect embodiment of a gorgeous Slytherin woman. It took his breath completely away. Her blond hair was pulled back elegantly and the dress he had gotten for her, fit her body like a glove. His mother's priceless necklace adorned her neck and glinted in the light of the chandelier above them. She was stunning and all he could say was "Dear Gods…"

Aria flushed slightly as she made her way down the last step and towards him. She eyed him equally as mesmerized as well. He wore a perfectly fitted charcoal grey suit with a matching waist coat and a deep black and silver brocaded cloak that draped over his shoulders, like he was the King of some beautiful, mystical land. His platinum hair shining down his back. "You are stunning," Aria said as she looked up at her fiancé, causing him to smile slightly.

With one last sigh, as if he wasn't sure this was the best idea, Lucius grabbed her hand bringing it up to his mouth and kissing it gentlemanly. "Are you ready?" He asked

"Yes," she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist, breathing him in, his delicious smell.

He held her back and in an instant apparated them to the Minister's mansion.


	35. The Battle

**I hope you all had some happy holidays! I am battling some bad health issues and chronic anxiety. I always get it bad around this time of year, it sucks :(. Anyways I hope you enjoy this intense chapter. See note at end*  
**

* * *

Aria and Lucius arrived at the end of a very long and majestic driveway. While the Mansion loomed grand and impressive in the distance, it gave off a more modern vibe, partly due to it being nearby the bustling city of London, unlike the grand Malfoy Manor which was very much more old-world and nestled in the glorious British countryside. Both mansions were very impressive but of course nothing could compare for the comfort Aria and Lucius felt at their own beautiful estate.

Hand and in hand, Aria and Lucius walked up the long drive to the front of the grand mansion. Some witches and wizards had opted to make an even grander entrance by hiring sleek muggle limousines which caused Aria and Lucius to roll their eyes and chuckle under their breaths as the gaudy vehicles drove passed the pair as they continued walking up the drive. Aria could see as they got closer hundreds of finely dressed witches and wizards arriving and making their way up the grand front steps and into the mansion as the party thrummed with energy and light from inside. It also couldn't be missed that there were a few dozen paparazzis snapping photos of the big event and of the notable members of the Wizarding Community arriving.

Upon seeing the snap and flash of the cameras, Lucius squeezed Aria's hand in his own and sighed out unhappily. Lucius detested the paparazzi; especially since one of the last times they had really crossed a line for Lucius was when he was at the hospital, still not knowing whether or not Aria was going to live or die from her poisoning. Lucius had almost ripped off the paparazzi's heads for sticking their noses into his own personal Hell to try and get their next big story.

Aria sighed out with Lucius. She wasn't too keen on the tabloid press either, especially when it came to her and Lucius' relationship. "Why are they here? Does the Minister know they are here? Surely he wouldn't allow them to crash his party like this and disturb the guests as they arrive…" she said.

"Oh he knows they are here….I wouldn't be surprised if he invited them himself!" scoffed Lucius. "Any excuse for him to look good and grand in the papers. And I am sure the guests don't mind either….only people who have truly been tortured by the papers and the tabloids would really mind…like myself…" he scowled.

Aria brought their connected hands up to her lips and gave him a kiss on the top of his gloved hand causing the distressed Wizard to smile down at her lovingly. They were close to the crowd of people now and Aria knew that they must grin and bear it to get into the party.

"Let's go in confident and proud," she said as she looked up at him one last time before she stood up straight and tall with a smile plastered on her face.

Lucius smirked down at her and followed suit. She was right. Why not go in confidently and proud? They had endured so much and had come out on top. For once Lucius would be proud to see his photo in the papers. The couple walked up the grand steps of the mansion as the paparazzi went wild over the arrival of the Wizarding World's most talked about couple, who were usually so private and hard to get photos of. The couple smiled warmly at each other as the flash of the photos blinded their eyes and the screams of the photographers deafened their ears to anything else but their names being shouted over and over again. The two held hands so tight as if they were to be pulled apart at any moment. As they neared the top of the steps, Lucius turned to face Aria and grabbed her by the waist as he pulled her in for a kiss and dipped her dramatically, clearly making a show for the cameras. This move of his caused the photographers to scream wildly with delight as they surely got some excellent photos to use in the tabloids of the most famous couple, kissing each other passionately. As Lucius swooped her back up, Aria giggled delightedly and finally dragged Lucius into the warmth and brightness of the party inside the mansion, their eyes still blurry and adjusting from the flash of the camera bulbs.

"Lucius! I didn't know you could be such a show-off!" Aria giggled with delight.

"My love…have you not noticed the home in which we live in? The clothes that I wear? Everything else about me?" He laughed, as he admitted the truth about himself. Although in his more recent years, he would rather live a more private life than a flashy one. "But in all honestly, that is the most those damned buzzards will get from us tonight, so they better be content with that."

"Are you ready to get the mingling over with?" Aria asked as she looked up at him, as they stood in the first hallway of the mansion as numerous fancy witches and wizards eyed them and walked by them, all making their way to the refreshments, the dancing and the gossiping. Aria heard beautiful orchestral music coming from deeper within the mansion and longed to dance with Lucius, who could always blow her away with his graceful and sensual dancing skills. She flushed a bit at the memory of dancing with him at other extravagant events. "I would really love to get a dance or two with you," she smirked up at him.

"It would be my pleasure," Lucius said raising his hand to her cheek and lightly stroking it with his fingertips as his grey gaze pierced into her soul. Aria shuddered at his touch and mewled a bit, which caused Lucius to sigh out in need and want for his petit witch. "You never cease to arouse and tempt me little witch…" he teased as he dropped his hand suddenly before he became too entrenched in his own arousal.

"Sorry," she teased and giggled a bit as her flushed body cooled down. She grabbed his hand once more and confidently led them down the hallway and to the main space in the mansion which had been converted into the ballroom for the evening. Hundreds of witches and wizards were already dancing and mingling, and before Lucius and Aria could even get their wits about them, a server with a tray of sparkling and fizzing golden champagne glasses came and offered Aria and Lucius a drink, to which they gladly accepted. As they grabbed their glasses the champagne inside began to ignite with tiny fireworks and streamers popped out of the glasses, meant to be a fun celebratory, magical drink. Aria giggled but Lucius simply rolled his eyes at the classlessness of it all.

As Lucius and Aria took their first sips of their champagne, Aria spotted the Minister for Magic from a bit aways, and he himself, caught her eye. She smiled kindly at the man, although not all together overly excitedly, and he began making his way over. Aria could hear Lucius sigh out behind her, as he prepared to make small talk with the man who had once would have done anything to see the head of the Malfoy family behind bars.

"Aria….Lucius," the Minister greeted them with a smile and a bow of his head, his purple and gold robes glowing brightly in the candlelight of the room. "I hope you two are enjoying yourselves."

"We just arrived," Lucius said plainly.

"I am sure we will have a great time," Aria quickly added with a smile.

The Minister decided to focus his attentions on Aria just then as he looked away nervously, or maybe even slightly ashamed, from Lucius.

"Aria, I trust you received our letters about that open Oxford position we would like for you to take?" The Minister inquired.

"Oh yes I have! I am extremely excited about that opportunity and I thank you all at the Ministry for still thinking of me," Aria smiled.

"Of course," the Minister nodded his head. "Couldn't think of anyone more suited for the position. We were worried we wouldn't be able to get the letter to you…seems as if the Malfoy Manor had a lot of protective and repellent charms surrounding it…" the Minister said as his questioning eyes flashed over to Lucius briefly.

Lucius glared at the Minister over the brim of his champagne glass he had just been sipping from. "As you know Minister, Aria's life had been threatened and almost taken during her time at the Ministry…and all precautions must be taken to insure her safety…" Lucius said as he reminded the Minister of the Ministry's screw-up by allowing Aria to be poisoned so easily while in their employ.

The Minister cleared his throat, as if embarrassed that he had been called out for his nosiness into why the Malfoy Manor had so many charms surrounding it.

"I see…yes of course…completely understandable," he said as he looked back over at Aria. Aria gave him a tiny smile, the awkwardness of the conversation becoming thick in the air.

"You know…I always tell Lucius, that I wish everyone in the Wizarding World would use a cell phone! So much easier to get in contact with someone," Aria chuckled as she tried to diffuse the awkward tension.

The Minister cringed at her mention of the common muggle item. "Hmmm I quite disagree…owls are best," the Minister said flatly.

"That is what Lucius thinks as well," Aria sighed. The awkwardness still hung heavy in the air. "Well…umm..anyways…thank you again Minister for the opportunity at Oxford. I look forward to it….now though…I think I must dance with my Lucius," Aria said as she reached behind her and grabbed Lucius' hand.

The Minister nodded at the couple awkwardly in acknowledgement and in farewell and Lucius groaned out in annoyance as Aria led them closer to the dance floor as the two put down their empty champagne glasses on a nearby tray.

"Well that was painful," Lucius grumbled as Aria led him to the middle of the dance floor. "Why did we come here to-"

Aria smirked as she put her finger up to Lucius' lips to quiet him and before Lucius knew it she had dragged him out into the middle of the dance floor.

"I know my love…" she said with a silky voice, "But now all you need to do is put your hands on me…and lead the way," she said as she placed her hands tenderly on his muscular chest to which she heard a low grumble of satisfaction emanating from immediately.

"Mmmm….as you wish," he said as he gripped her hips firmly bringing her close against his body and then slowly snaked his hands up her hips, her waist, her back and up to her delicate arms where he grabbed a hold of them and began leading her in a beyond graceful dance across the dance floor. All of the awkwardness of the conversation with the Minister completely forgotten as the two lovers stared into each others' eyes, the world seemingly forgotten for a while. That was always how it was when they danced together. Of course many were staring, seeing the now famous and deeply magical couple gliding across the floor with mind numbing elegance. It was easy to see now how these two really might be the Veela Soul Mate couple that had been foretold in Wizarding mythology; a couple that was always meant to be throughout time and space.

The two danced for what seemed like an age, never taking their eyes off of each other. If it was one of those special magical nights of the year, like the Winter Solstice or Spring Equinox, the couple would have surely been glowing from head to toe in their special magical soul mate bond, but despite them not glowing, the magic between the two of them could certainly be sensed throughout the room.

As one of the songs ended, Lucius and Aria stopped briefly as they saw a tiny, old man approaching. Aria flushed a bit and Lucius smirked as they recognized the older man to be none other than Reginald Fawley. Reginald was the older bachelor Aria had done some personal archiving work for right before the Christmas holiday and he was the naughty old man who had gifted her some rather risqué lingerie. It had been slightly hilarious to Lucius, and yet even more slightly mortifying for Aria. The old man currently had a sly smirk on his face as he hobbled up to Lucius and Aria.

"Lucius my good man…may I?" Fawley said as he indicated his boney fingered hand at Aria, as if wanting to dance with her.

Lucius smirked and looked down at the short ancient wizard. "Now Reginald…you should understand that I do not share," Lucius said as he clearly tightened his grip around Aria's waist. "Don't think I didn't know about the Christmas gift you bought for my fiancé," Lucius smirked as he teased the old man, however causing Aria to blush pink.

"Lucius you can't blame a man for trying….she is absolutely divine," said Reginald as he spoke as if she wasn't even there.

Aria looked down humbly as the two men discussed her surpassing beauty.

"Of course I understand Regi, but she is mine…and mine alone," he said with a deep, husky voice that made Aria shudder with delight. She adored when he told her that in the privacy of their own home, but somehow hearing him announce it to someone else so openly was even more arousing.

"I see, I see," conceded Fawley. "Well if you won't allow me the honor of dancing with your betrothed and I truly have no chance…then you must indulge me on some business propositions and inquires?"

Fawley clearly wanted to talk business with Lucius. Old money often attracted old money, and Aria honestly had no clue what type of business dealings Lucius often did, but she knew once he got talking business, it could often times go on and on. It impressed Aria, as these strategic dealings is what made the Malfoy name so successful, but it honestly didn't intrigue her as much as some of their other more common interests they shared as a couple. Lucius looked down at her, silently wondering if he should go with the old man or not to go over some business. Aria and Lucius had been so pent up in the Manor as of late, she knew it was rare for him to sit with some of his old colleagues and talk important money things she knew little about.

"Oh I don't know Regi…now isn't that good of a time…" he began to say.

"Oh of course, please feel free!" Aria said enthusiastically. She had just luckily seen Hermione walk in, on the arm of none other than Harry Potter. That intrigued her way more anyways and she instantly wanted to go see them.

"Okay my love, I won't be far…please don't go far either…." Lucius said as he gripped her hand and brought it up to his lips to place a gentle kiss on it. She knew he was still wary about leaving her alone out in the open, but Aria had felt nothing but completely safe and secure so far at the party and she had seen no indication that Narcissa would be anywhere near the event. The Minister surely wouldn't have invited Aria and then also the woman who had poisoned her to the same event.

"I will be alright my love," Aria said as she leaned up a bit to kiss Lucius strongly and surely on the lips.  
Fawley looked at them with his own naughty twinkle in his eye. "Lucky bastard…" he muttered under his breath at Lucius.

Lucius slightly smiled at the old man's mock jealousy (or maybe even real jealousy) and walked off with the man into a more quiet part of the mansion. As the two men walked off, Aria immediately made a bee-line towards Hermione and Harry who were both surrounded by hordes of people. They were the 'golden children' after all.

Hermione looked stunning in a beautiful soft-grey colored gown with a long flowing matching cape and her hair was pulled back tight against her head. Harry wore classic Wizards dress robes and looked dashing himself. Hermione had her hand clutched to Harry's arm and the two beamed as if completely lit up from within. Aria then wondered if they were "together."

Aria grabbed another glass of champagne as she waited for the crowd around the famous witch and wizard to dissipate. After a brief period of waiting her turn, Aria made her way up to them, a huge grin on her face. Hermione lit up with joy when she saw Aria making her way towards her and Harry beamed himself.

"Aria!" said Hermione as she gave her a big hug, followed by Harry who greeted her pleasantly as well.

"I've missed you so much! You look stunning….both of you!" said Aria.

"As do you! My goodness you are a vision," said Hermione. "How are you? How are you and Lucius doing?"

"We are doing well…a bit isolated now a-days…Lucius is still nervous about Narcissa attacking me, so we've put up some pretty strong wards around the house."

"Have you been threatened?" Harry asked seriously, as he immediately went into Auror mode.

"Not since the poisoning…but we did get an ominous warning from Draco," Aria grimaced which caused Harry's brow to furrow in concern.

"Please let me know the moment you see or hear anything happen against you," began Harry. "We sadly weren't able to arrest her for the poisoning as there was no physical proof of her involvement…I of course believe you…just legally I couldn't make an arrest…." he said grimly.

"I know you would help if you could Harry. Thank you as always," Aria smiled warmly. "Well enough about me…what about you two? Are you guys….?" Aria said with a glint in her eye as she looked at Hermione's hand clutching Harry's.

Hermione flushed and looked down as she quickly let go of Harry's hand, but Aria could see a huge smile begin to grow on her face. Aria also noticed Harry turn a bit brighter in color as well, but he looked immensely happy too.

"Well…we have been working a lot together lately, and I suppose we fell into our old routine of really being with each other all of the time. With us both being single…I guess we realized our true feelings…something we never admitted to ourselves all of those years…" Hermione said as eloquently as ever.

The way Harry beamed at her and looked at her with so much love in his emerald green eyes, made Aria's face light up with a smile. She recognized that look as she often saw it on Lucius' own face when he looked at her. Harry was deeply in love.

"It really was sort of an epiphany…we had been through so much and I can't imagine my life without Hermione…Hell I can't imagine I would have ever made it this far without Hermione…I realized then I loved her, as more than just a friend, with all of my heart."

Aria's eyes were welling up at the sight and sound of such love. She knew it well of course.

"I am so happy for you guys!" Aria said as she raised her glass to them as if in a toast.

"We are too…" the both said at the same time causing all three of them to chuckle.

"Would you keep this our little secret though Aria? Obviously when the press finds out about this it is going to be a media circus….the Minister allowed us to Floo directly into the mansion for the party so that we wouldn't have to get bombarded by the paparazzi that are always here every year out front," said Hermione.

"Of course Hermione, my lips are sealed!" promised Aria. "I feel special you let me in on your little secret."

"Well I guess it's fitting…we knew about you and Lucius before the rest of the world did as well," laughed Hermione.

The three laughed and drank and chatted for quite some time, and Aria felt as if she could talk to the two of them forever. Eventually however, Aria soon began missing Lucius' presence and knew that she wanted to get back into his arms and she didn't want to completely take up Hermione and Harry's time.

"Well I should probably get back to Lucius…we don't like being parted for long…" said Aria as she began scanning the surrounding crowds in search of that platinum blonde head.

"I am beginning to understand that rather well," said Harry as he looked over at Hermione with a smile.

"It was so amazing seeing you guys and I am so happy for you….promise me we will see each other soon?" Aria asked before she left the happy couple.

"Absolutely!" said Hermione. "I will owl you next week!"

With a smile Aria walked away from the couple and truly began searching for Lucius. She couldn't find him anywhere immediately, however, it didn't concern her. She knew Lucius would be more concerned about her well-being and perhaps he was looking for her as well. As she looked around she noticed all of the witches and wizards in attendance were very notable figures in the Wizarding World. She was hoping to have seen Pepper at the party but realized Pepper might not rank as high on the Minister's list of famous (or infamous) people, something which made Aria sad, and to be honest, think a bit less of the Minister. This party really was all about status…something that was very Pure-Blood minded of him, surprising Aria. Perhaps her and Lucius should leave when they found each other; she knew Lucius wouldn't argue with that.

Aria eventually wandered into the beautiful gardens which over-looked a vast expanse of hedges and and fountains and candles. She could see the city skyline of London in the distance, and it truly was incredible in this estate that so much gardens and space could magically fit into the tight constraints of London. Surely much magic was involved in the construction of this place. It was rather beautiful and Aria didn't mind in that moment just having a moment's peace to herself as she listened to the running water of the fountains and admired the glowing lights of the candles. There was literally no one out in the gardens except for her, everyone else was inside enjoying the dancing, food and drink. Aria wandered a bit down farther into the gardens and sat on the edge of the first large fountain she saw, admiring the way the water cascaded down from the top layer into the bigger pool underneath. The candles around the area glinted off of the water, almost causing it to sparkle, and Aria looked down into her reflection in the water as she admired the gorgeous necklace from Lucius' mother she had been wearing; it too also sparkled in the candle and moonlight.

Aria couldn't help but smile…until she saw in the reflection in the water, someone standing behind her. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she practically jumped up from where she stood. Her skin rose in gooseflesh as she came to realize that the woman who had been standing behind her had been none other than Narcissa. She wore a black as night velvet dress and and her hair fell around her face in yellow-ish blond waves. Her eyes were narrowed into slits as she took in Aria's beautiful form, gown, and jewelry and her eyes practically glowed red with hatred.

"Narcissa!" Aria practically screamed, her nerves feeling as if they were bombs about to explode. "How in the world did you get in here? How did you know I was here…?"

"Everyone who is everyone is here girl…" Narcissa spat "But clearly my invitation got lost in the post…"

Aria stood up from where she was relaxing on the fountain and faced Narcissa head-on, her stance squared off and ready for anything that might happen. She sincerely hoped Lucius had been currently looking for her. "I guarantee you didn't get an invitation because no one wants you here…don't you know…you aren't important anymore," Aria teased as she raised an eyebrow and smirked as she mocked Narcissa. She really was getting rather good at the famous Lucius Malfoy smirk.

Narcissa's eyes narrowed into slits again and she walked a bit closer to Aria. Aria stood her ground though, and didn't move a muscle. "Be careful Narcissa," Aria warned. "Remember last time you laid your hands on me?"

Narcissa remembered it well; the way her hands burned into millions of blisters as Aria's skin had scalded her when she had touched her that one Samhain night when her and Draco had come to threaten Lucius.

Narcissa stopped in her tracks but gave a smirk of her own however. "That hasn't stopped me from getting to you before," her eyes glinted as she referenced the time she successfully poisoned and almost killed Aria. "And while I must admit that the wards surrounding Malfoy Manor have been rather…impossible…for me to penetrate as of late, I knew that tonight would be the perfect night to get to you."

Aria's breathing began quickening, knowing Narcissa had indeed been trying to get into the Manor. It felt so invasive. Thank Merlin that Lucius had been so strict about all of the wards and protective spells. But why would Narcissa try to attack at a crowded party?

"Why would you think attacking at a party where hundreds of people are, including many Aurors, would be a good idea?" Aria asked.

"Well I knew at some point I would have to get you out here, alone. I had been waiting for you to leave the Manor for weeks, and this seemed to be my only opportunity," purred Narcissa. "I thought I would have to use a glamor or some form of Polyjuice potion to transform myself into Lucius, to lure you out here, but you both did me the favor of separating briefly…and then you all too perfectly wandered out here on your own. You fool," said Narcissa as she removed her wand from inside her caped gown.

"Lucius will be looking for me…" Aria warned, as she still kept her ground. She wasn't scared, but she knew Narcissa feared Lucius' power.

Narcissa looked around as she mocked Aria's warning, her eyes scanning the deadly quiet, empty garden. "Where is he then? Your knight in shining armor?"

Narcissa raised her wand slightly, but not before Aria spoke quickly to try and distract her a bit longer.

"Why do you want to hurt me so badly Narcissa? What will you gain out of this? You are the one that left Lucius out of shame all of those years ago. Why not let him live out his life and you do the same? You simply don't ever have to talk to him again!" Aria tried to reason.

"BECAUSE!" spat Narcissa. "HE CAN NEVER CHANGE! He pretends to but he can't. He has ruined the Malfoy name!"

"Again, I ask…why do you care?!" Aria said quite frustratedly. "Are you jealous that he can change but you can't?! That he can find happiness finally in his life, but you are stuck forever being the miserable witch who can't move on or rise to a high place of power again? You can change…you can be better!"

That seemed to strike a cord with Narcissa as it seemed Aria guessed correctly as to her Narcissa's inner demons. However she would never admit it.

"NO! I am doing this for my son! He deserves so much better out of his name…out of his Father!"

"Oh leave Draco out of it! Hasn't he already showed you he wants nothing to do with this anymore!?" Aria countered back. Narcissa looked down, knowing that again, Aria was right. Draco hadn't talked to her for weeks and weeks. "Draco came to Lucius and I on Christmas, and warned us about you; about something like this. He is no longer on your side Narcissa. Just drop your wand and give-up. None of the Aurors up there have to know, if you just leave now…" Aria said as she looked up at the mansion, attempting to make Narcissa disappear back into the night.

Narcissa said nothing for a long moment. Her eyes were wet and glassy looking, almost as if she was about to cry, but then suddenly she raised her wand directly out in front of her body, her eyes narrowing again, seemingly glowing red with rage.

 _"CONFRINGO!"_ Narcissa yelled out as she attempted to blast Aria away with her first offensive spell. Luckily, Aria had known this was coming at jumped to the side causing the fountain behind her to explode, water now spurting everywhere, drenching Aria from head to toe.

Aria hoped that the witches and wizards at the party above would have heard the explosion and would come to investigate, but Aria couldn't focus much on that as Narcissa was hurling another curse her way with a shriek of anger. _"BOMBARDA!"_

What happened next Narcissa wasn't prepared for. Aria began utilizing her wandless magic; what Lucius had been training her in for all of these weeks. This was the exact reason why she had asked him to train her. It came as second nature to her when she thought in her mind the shield charm Protego. Her hands were raised out in front of her and Narcissa's spell bounced off of Aria's invisible shield and propelled back at her causing the vile witch to narrowly avoid the rebounded curse.

"Wh…what?! Wandless magic?! A witch as young as you knows the art of wandless magic!?" Narcissa yelled.

"Oh yes…thanks to Lucius," Aria smiled proudly.

Narcissa let out a vile and soul shattering screech as she began hurling curse after curse at Aria. Red lights and explosions blasted all around the two witches. Various topiaries, statues and fountains exploding one after the other, the two witches drenched with water, dirt and sweat.

Up until this point Aria had simply been using her defensive shield charm, but suddenly, Narcissa seemed to go literally insane and began attempting to use unforgivable curses upon Aria. _"CRUCIO!"_ Narcissa screamed multiple times. Again, Aria blocked the spells, but her anger was rising, especially now that Narcissa was going into the use of unforgivable curses. With her anger, Aria's hands started sparking and tingling with her rage, until she had formed two giant fireballs of pure magic and power in her hands. Her use of wandless magic seemed to take on a mind of its own and she now couldn't hold back the fury she was feeling towards Narcissa. With her left hand, Aria launched her first fireball straight at Narcissa, who's wide eyes held pure fear at the sight of Aria wielding such a Fiendfyre type fire magic. Narcissa dove and missed the fireball but the fire caused the hedge behind Narcissa to burst into flames. Behind the rage, Aria felt a tinge of regret for damaging such a beautiful garden at the Minister's house, but she was so enraged that only a tiny part of her consciousness that thought that was breaking through.

Up at the party, Lucius had been looking for Aria for a solid twenty minutes and he was getting nervous. He knew they shouldn't have parted and his nerves sank to the pit of his stomach when he heard an explosion coming from somewhere outside. A large crowd of party goers rushed to the windows and saw flashes of light and bursts of fire coming from the gardens.

Many of the witches and wizards screamed and many of them pulled their wands out of their robes; some however simply ran straight out the front door and apparated back to the safety of their own homes.

"ARIA!" Lucius shouted as he immediately withdrew his wand and ran as fast as lightning out and down into the massive expanse of gardens.

Somewhere behind him he heard the Minister shout out into the room, "Aurors! Follow me! Now!"

Back down in the gardens, both Aria and Narcissa were breathing heavily. Aria's hair had come down from her bun in the fight and was now wet and wild and her makeup was running down her face from when she had been drenched from the burst fountain. Both witches had bloody cuts and bruises on their arms, faces and chests from defending themselves and diving away to miss counter attacks. Aria's right hand still held her remaining fireball, the magic of it still making the ball of fire throb and pulsate as if it was alive. Aria's rage had slightly calmed down but not by much, as she waited for Narcissa to catch her next breath.

Aria had a ringing in her ear from the adrenaline of the fight but somewhere off close by she heard the sound of her love yelling out to her.

"Aria!" Lucius called out as he came upon the scene in the garden, his wand already drawn and pointing in the direction of Narcissa. How could he have let this happen was his only thought; that and for her safety. He noticed the fireball in Aria's hand and felt a sense of pride deep down, but that would have to wait as he saw Narcissa reach on the ground for her wand where she had dropped it when she dove out of the way of Aria's first fireball.

Aria had briefly turned at the sound of Lucius' voice when he had shouted her name and Narcissa took her shot in that moment, a moment of distraction for Aria, to utter the most forbidden curse of all. Just as the words _"Avada Kedavra"_ left Narcissa's mouth, Lucius' reflexes acted the quickest they ever had in his life and he literally dove into Aria, knocking her body to the ground, right in time for the green curse of death to miss her and crash into a poor statue behind them.

"NOOO!" He had yelled as he had dove into the love of his life, saving her from death. As the two lovers crashed to the ground, Lucius let out another cry, this time of pain, as he felt his right shoulder dislocate from where he landed on the ground with Aria's body on-top of him. Luckily Aria had moved her right hand out of the way which still contained her remaining fireball, but the odd angle had caused her to land awkwardly on Lucius' arm.

"Lucius!" Aria cried out as she saw his arm fall limp to his side, and his face contort with pain at the dislocation. "My love! I am so sorry…" she began to say. However Narcissa took this second opportunity of Aria's distraction to try and use the Killing Curse yet again, this time aimed at Lucius, who was in a weakened state.

The Minister and the Aurors came running down into the battle scene in the garden, their wands drawn, screaming came from all around, but Aria heard none of it.

In the matter of a split second Aria dove on her knees placing her body in front of Lucius' own sprawled out body and a blood curdling shout of fury, fear and protection emanated from her throat. It sounded inhuman and Aria knew her Veela powers were now pouring out of her as the fireball she had in her hand turned from a flaming orange to an even hotter bright blue. Aria hurled the ball of blue flame directly into Narcissa's curse which caused the power of both spells to explode in the air, both witches blown back to hit the ground hard.

While the explosion of the two spells had thrown the witches hard against the ground, Aria seemed to feel none of it, her body in full protection mode of Lucius. She immediately got up from where she fell and ran over to Narcissa, who was just barely recovering from the blast. Before Narcissa could crawl over to where her wand had fallen, Aria had shoved the older witch hard with her foot, causing Narcissa to fall over onto her back with a grunt. Aria wasted no time, as she straddled Narcissa where she lay on the ground, so that she couldn't move and gripped her hard by her wrists.

Narcissa screamed out in pain as her flesh burned under Aria's touch, just like it had before, the last time Narcissa and Aria had physical contact. Aria's bloodcurdling shrieks and noises of fury hadn't stopped and as Narcissa screamed out in pain from her burning skin, she looked up into Aria's face with terrified eyes at the same time. Narcissa had never been so afraid of another witch, as she was in that moment. "Please don't kill me!" She screamed, her brave act finally faltering.

"I SHOULD!" screamed Aria, who could only remember the past minute where Narcissa herself had just tried to kill her and Lucius.

"Aria!" cried two voices at the same time. One from Lucius where he now stood, still clutching to his bad arm. The other voice coming from Harry Potter himself, who had finally run in to intervene in the fight.

Aria looked at the two men with wild eyes, her breath coming out hard and strong. She could smell the burning skin of Narcissa beneath her; the woman she so badly wanted to kill, who still cried out in agony at the pain of her burning flesh. But after a few deep breaths, Aria's sanity returned. She couldn't kill Narcissa. The Aurors and the Minister had seen Narcissa trying to kill, and that was enough. She would spend the rest of her days in Azkaban.

Reluctantly but quickly, Aria let go of Narcissa and got up off the witch and ran over to Lucius, who held on to her tight and comfortingly with his good arm.

Harry Potter leaned over Narcissa who had now curled up into a ball. "Narcissa Black, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Aria De La Cour and Lucius Malfoy." The woman screamed out in pain and frustration as she thrashed in Potter's arms.

"She isn't human! She is a monster! She deserves to die!" she screamed at Aria. Aria simply looked back at the woman with the dimming rage in her eyes as she held onto Lucius. It was finally done.

"Silence Narcissa!" yelled the Minister as the other Aurors escorted her off of the premises.

The Minister for Magic himself walked straight over to Aria and Lucius, a very humbled look in his eyes. "Aria…Lucius…" he said in a low, calm voice. "I am so incredibly sorry. I did not invite that woman here. I had no idea she was in my home."

"She told me she snuck in," said Aria. "She had been stalking me for weeks. She said this was her only opportunity."

"Perhaps if you had proper security here instead of focusing on having a plentiful paparazzi group here, this wouldn't have happened," Lucius said through his teeth.

The Minister looked down in shame. Lucius was right.

"Well Minister, it looks like you got your wish. Your party will be the talk of the town. It will be in all of the papers," Aria said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. For once she was actually as disgusted by the Minister as Lucius normally was. "It's finally done though, isn't it Minister? Narcissa will never bother us again I presume?"

"No. No of course not. We all saw her try to use the Killing Curse. Twice. Her trial will be swift I assure you," he said sincerely.

Aria looked around her, at the destroyed garden, the hedges still burning with Aria's magically induced fire, and then back at the Minister. "Sorry about the garden," she said with more dry sarcasm. "Lucius my love, shall we go home?" Aria said as she turned to her fiancé.

Lucius gripped his arm and grimaced. "Definitely….but first…" he held out his hand and used wandless magic to conjure his wand back to himself. As soon as he had the wand in his hand he pointed it at his dislocated shoulder and muttered " _Episky."_ With a nauseating pop and a slight scream of pain from Lucius, his shoulder was back in place. Aria grimaced and put her hands in Lucius'. With one last look at the Minister, who looked back at them both with waves of humiliation and shame, and even wonder at their casual use of wandless magic, the couple apparated back to Malfoy Manor.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the climax battle between Aria and Narcissa. Now that Aria has all this pent up rage, she might need to release some of it in other ways. ;) The next chapter will start out pretty smutty, just a forewarning. xoxo**


	36. Ringing in the New Year

**Happy New Year! Here is a little treat for you all to ring in the New Year. A nice little smut-focused chapter between my two favorites. Read on to see how they spent the New Year's Evening. ;) Don't forget to please review!**

* * *

Lucius and Aria arrived back at Malfoy Manor a bit more worse for wear from when they had left earlier that evening. As they landed in the grand foyer of the Manor, Lucius wrapped Aria up in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Can you ever forgive me my love?" He said huskily as he laid his cheek on the top of her head as he held her close; too afraid to look her in the eye.

"Forgive you for what?" She said as she wrapped her arms tight around him.

"I wasn't with you…I left you open to that vile woman's attack…" he said as he slowly backed away from Aria in shame. He remained silent for a few minutes as he began pacing a bit. "FUCK!" He screamed out into the cavernous foyer in a sudden burst of anger and frustration, causing a booming echo to be heard around the Manor. "I knew this would happen…and I let it!"

"I handled her!" Aria replied as she stepped forwards towards Lucius to try and hold him close to her again. "And now it is over! She is off to Azkaban for her crimes."

"She tried to kill you!" Lucius said as he ran his fingers through his hair desperately.

"And you!" Aria retorted back. The truth was, Narcissa was out for blood…from both of them and they had both saved each other this night. She finally grabbed him by his hands again and squeezed them in reassurance. "Now it is finally over and done with. For good! We are truly free!"

Lucius closed his eyes, half in terror of what the night had held for them and half in relief. Aria was right; they really were truly free from everyone that had tried to tear them apart. He brought their conjoined hands up to his lips and kissed Aria's hands. They were so warm, almost to the point of being too hot to the touch. "Your hands…." He said looking down at them in curiosity. "They are burning." He looked closely at her hands in his in that moment and he could have sworn he saw little red sparks still emanating from her skin from where she had wielded her fire.

"I felt so much power tonight…the power of the wandless magic you taught me. And when I thought she was going to use the Killing Curse on me…and then, more horribly, you, I felt a magical prowess in me I have never felt when casting a wandless spell before….I can still feel it in me….like electricity," she said as she shuddered and looked up at Lucius with a hooded gaze. The magic she had wielded that night was making her feel on fire within herself, from her sparking hands, to her chest, to her stomach….and to her womanhood.

Lucius looked back at his woman, and saw that fire within her through the depths of her eyes. He knew what she was feeling exactly. He often felt it himself when his power or his emotions of rage and power flooded his soul. The way ones body heats up internally, and it feels like if you don't release that energy you may combust into a million pieces. Aria needed to make love…no she needed to fuck….he of course knew that feeling well.

Lucius dropped their conjoined hands and then brought his fingertips up to trace seductive lines up and down her arms. Compared to the heat of her hands, the rest of her skin felt cold. She had been drenched from fountain water and sweat from the fight and her skin was breaking out into gooseflesh all over. "You're cold…" Lucius said as he looked at her with concern, but yet at the same time, a look of desire.

"I don't feel cold…"Aria said as she moved her body flush up against his, and aggressively brought her left hand up behind Lucius' neck to bring his head down quickly so that she could capture his lips with her own.

As she kissed him hard, and gripped her fingers in his platinum hair, he tasted her and her warmth. She tasted like blazing sunshine and power and Lucius drank her in like the finest whisky he had ever tasted. She moaned deeply into his mouth as her other hand came up to his chest and clutched to his dress shirt, almost as if she wanted to rip it off of his body.

"Need you," she moaned out as she came up for air from their intense kissing, her warm breath flowing out onto Lucius' lips and neck causing him to shudder.

Lucius uttered a low growl which Aria could feel reverberate in his chest. She adored when he made such primal, animalistic noises of desire for her. Before she knew it, Lucius had apparated them straight into the large walk in shower of the master bedroom, their drenched and dirty clothes had been removed during the split second of the apparition. Aria took a moment to take in what just happened and a breathy laugh of wonder escaped her throat. "How did you…?!" She went to ask Lucius how he had simultaneously managed to disrobe and apparate her at the same time. However, Lucius didn't answer her query for in that instant he raised his eyebrow smugly and with a naughty glint in his eyes snapped his fingers so that warm, delicious water rained down on them both in the shower.

"Mmmm…" Aria couldn't help but moan out at the feeling of the comforting water against her chilled skin. As her body warmed up externally, it finally matched the internal heat, passion and power she felt within her body. She looked up at her man, the warm water rolling down his perfect, luminescent skin in rivulets; making his muscular chest and toned torso gleam and glisten in the golden light of the bathroom. She reached her hands up to lay them on his chest and then rather dominantly pushed him back up against the tiled wall of the shower.

Lucius grunted out in pleasure as his back hit the tiled wall and Aria pressed her heated body against his once more and began writhing in pleasure against him as she kissed his jawline, his neck, his hard chest, everywhere her plush lips could reach. Her hands roved all over his body in exact time with her precious kisses, and her hips ground up against him causing her wet pussy to slide tantalizingly over his hardening cock. It was as if she was trying to melt herself into his own body, to truly become one.

She then began leaving love nips against his skin, causing little red marks to appear all over his neck and chest. Lucius didn't mind the little stinging bites, in fact it turned him on even more and he let his woman do with him as she desired. Tonight he would be the one surrendering over to her dominance and her whims. Wherever her hands skimmed over his body, he felt a trail of fire that she left behind, with the magic that was still electrically charged within her. He felt it especially when she reached her right hand down between them and grabbed his hard member in her palm and begin pumping him with perfect and firm pressure, causing him to moan out even louder than before from the heat and pressure of it.

"Ahhhh my Queen!" He moaned out into the room, his pleasure echoing off of the tiled walls.

Knowing that Aria needed to release her pleasure more than he did, he then returned the favor by reaching his fingers down to her aching core and briefly slid them over her sensitive clit before he plunged two of them strong and hard up into her. The sudden entrance of his long, dextrous fingers caused her to moan aloud just as he was and caused her to give him another strong love nip right where his neck met his chest.

Aria was so turned on and blinded by lust that she dropped her hand from pumping his cock, to bring both her hands up to clutch to his shoulders as she supported herself on him, preventing her legs from giving out to the pleasure that he drew from her as he fucked her hard with his fingers. She raised her right leg to rest it against the wall of the shower so that her legs opened wider, giving him better access to his marvelous fingering techniques.

Lucius of course didn't mind that she had stopped her amazing touch upon him. Just the sight of her reaction to his fingering of her, was completely arousing enough. Nothing was more of a turn on for him than seeing the woman that he adored so much writhing in pleasure from what he was doing to her body. As he continued fingering her with that amazing seductive motion inside of her, he used his other hand to grab her behind the head to bring her closer so that his lips were able to begin kissing and sucking upon her neck, which immediately caused her to moan even louder and more urgently.

Aria felt so small and petit within Lucius' strong and powerful grasp, and she could easily feel herself losing touch with reality as she grew closer and closer to her release; however she knew that wasn't enough. She needed him completely, and she needed to be the one dominating him. Between her moans she managed to come back to reality to say "Bed. Now," to which Lucius immediately complied as he released her briefly from his magical fingers, turned off the shower and then swept her off her feet to carry her to the bed, just on the other side of the door.

Lucius placed her on the bed, but was pleasantly surprised when she got to her knees, instead of laying back for him, and pointed to the bed. "Lay," she said rather dominantly with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. Lucius rather liked this demanding little side to her.

"Yes my Queen," he said with a smirk of his own as he laid his body across the bed and waited for her to mount him and take him right then and there.

He wasn't disappointed as she immediately straddled his body, grabbed his iron hard cock in her hands, and positioned herself over the tip of him. With one last look of triumph in her eyes she slid herself rather quickly upon him causing both of them to squeeze their eyes shut in the bliss of being connected and sigh out in pleasure.

She began riding him quickly and fiercely as she braced herself with her hands on his chest as she moved up and down, up and down. She had been on top of him like this before, but never had it been so fiery in passion as her nails dug into his chest as their pleasure mounted. Little red scratches were beginning to bloom upon his pale, delicate skin but he didn't notice. All of his feelings and sensations were currently focused on where their bodies were connected. As usual, she was so tight that it gripped him like nothing he had ever known before and the heat he felt from her was even more intense than usual; most likely due to her increased internal magic she had used.

Their eyes gazed into each other, Lucius with his silver, and Aria with her green, a green that almost seemed to be sparkling like embers in the moonlight. The spark in her eyes grew and grew as she continued to thrust and pump and move upon him. Lucius had never felt her take such control before and all he could do was surrender and let her; feeling the most vulnerable he had ever felt before during sex. His old self wouldn't have liked it…feeling so dominated in the bedroom, but now, with his powerful and wondrous Veela soulmate, it was one of the most arousing things he had known in the bedroom.

Soon, Aria was literally going as hard and fast as she could, expending all of her pent up power and energy. Her nails had dug even harder into his chest, and in some of the spots where her nails dug in, little drops of blood were pooling, and yet she couldn't stop. She felt herself tightening even further internally as she felt herself getting close to orgasm, her brow furrowed and she bit her lower lip in anticipation.

"Lucius!" she cried out as her body prepared itself.

He looked up at her with the same furrowed brow of pleasure as he held back as long as he could until she had her release.

"I'm going to…I'm going to come!" She said as she began shuddering around him as her riding of him became erratic.

"Come for me Aria!" Lucius said, taking command of the situation, to which Aria immediately surrendered and came and pulsated all around Lucius' hard and large cock. He came immediately after her, as he caught her limp upper body in his arms as she collapsed on-top of him. He held her tightly in his arms as he continued to come in spurts as he thrust a few more small times up into her.

They lay like that for an age. Lucius still inside of her as she lay on top of him wrapped up in his embrace. He kissed her sweaty forehead, tasting the salty-sweet taste of her. Both of them spent yet satisfied. With a sigh Aria rolled off of him and to the side so that they could lie in bed looking into the others' eyes. She had finally come back to her senses and looked at his chest where she had broken the skin in the heat of the moment. She grimaced and blushed slightly, that her passion had ended up hurting him.

She reached out her hand and gently touched the scratch marks.

"I'm so sorry love," she said looking back up at his face, which she noticed was perfectly content and held the most gorgeous soft smile.

"Think nothing of it," he said as he grabbed her hand in his and brought it up to his lips to kiss. He noticed the heat of her hands was gone now, her skin back to a normal temperature. "I know how it can be when you need to release all self control and just…fuck…" he said, his soft smile turning into a smirk.

She blushed again and smiled. "Thank you for letting me take you in such a way…"

"I quite enjoyed it," he replied back contentedly.

At that, the grand clocks of the Malfoy Manor struck midnight. It was officially the New Year, and both Lucius and Aria couldn't think of a more perfect way to ring in a new beginning. It truly was. They had no one to worry about anymore, lurking in the background trying to ruin them. They were free, happy and in love, and soon, in mere months, they would be getting married, officially uniting themselves forever and always. The previous year had been so special as they had found each other, and found their true purpose in life in each other's love. However, they both knew this year would be just as profound.

Lucius leaned in close to give Aria a warm and strong kiss, as he put his hand on the small of her back and brought her into the crook of his body. "Happy New Year my Goddess," he said deeply in her ear.

"Happy New Year my love," she said as she cuddled into the warmth of his arms and chest, where soon she would fall fast asleep, her body completely exhausted but full to the brim of love.


	37. Epic Love

**Thank you for waiting for this latest chapter! Let me know if you think I should keep going for a while with this story or if I should wrap it up somewhat soon. Do let me know! Reviews always help.**

* * *

The days, and even the weeks that followed that fateful night at the Minister's New Year's Eve Ball were a media whirlwind. Lucius and Aria realized that it was still necessary to keep all of the wards and protective spells around the Manor in place, because if they hadn't, the paparazzi and the endless news outlets would have been bombarding them for interviews about what had happened.

It had frustrated the couple, as they had wanted their lives to return back to some semblance of normality now that Narcissa had been officially arrested and sent straight to Azkaban. Her trial had lasted literally only five whole minutes; not only did she openly admit her attempted murder on both Lucius and Aria proudly, but there had been countless Aurors in attendance who witnessed her crimes, so there wasn't much room for debate on what had happened or not had happened.

But sadly, her actions had caused this media circus to take place, and thus she still had slight control over Lucius and Aria, even whilst she remained behind bars for the foreseeable future. She had gotten a life sentence for the two attempted murders, but Lucius was still wary on whether that would hold or not. Aria was more positive and assured him it would.

Aria was also the talk of many of the columns and articles, as there were stories coming out of her incredible powers that she had exhibited during the battle. As usual, some of the stories of her were over-exaggerated and embellished; some saying she transformed into an actual Phoenix. That one made Aria laugh. It must have had something to do with the fact that the Wizarding World knew that her and Lucius were Veelas, and thousands of years ago, pure Veelas were known to transform into bird-like creatures in times of stress or anger.

Aria was becoming almost legend. The young American witch who had not only captured the heart of famed Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy, turning him towards the side of light, but also a young witch of exceptional power and beauty. Of course, her and Lucius being the legendary soulmate couple was also extraordinary. Overall, there was an aura of mystery and wonder that Aria knew her and Lucius would have around them for good now.

As the days wore on and February was approaching, Aria and Lucius began growing excited for their upcoming Scotland trip. Aria was going to be honored for her work on the historic Midhope Castle in Scotland that she had helped work on back when her and Lucius had first met. Now that the project was complete there was going to be a special gala for the witches and wizards involved. The two couldn't have been more excited for the chance to go back to Scotland and get away from Britain for a while, and also utilize the opportunity to head back to the Callanish Stones, where they could make magical love under the stars and really vibe back into their soulmate connection.

Finally the morning of February 14th had arrived, and that night would be the Gala in Scotland. Aria and Lucius had fallen asleep in each others' arms on the comfortable couch in the library again. This was a common occurrence for the couple, as they often made love so much and so intensely that they would just fall asleep wherever they had been doing the act out of pure bliss and exhaustion.

Aria rubbed her eyes and stretched out her sore neck from where she had been laying on Lucius' chest all night, their naked bodies were still being warmed by the continually burning embers in the fireplace. Lucius felt her stir and hugged her even more closely against his body as he hummed out a low moan to her, as if saying good morning. Eventually Aria spoke softly against his muscular chest.

"Happy Gala Day in Scotland! Oh ya and Valentine's Day!" She joked slightly. She knew Lucius probably had no idea what Valentine's Day was, but she always liked to tease him about the silly muggle holidays she loved so much.

She felt Lucius fingers stroke up and down her nude back. "Yes my love. Tonight will be an amazing night for you, and I very much look forward to it. As for _Valentine's Day_ …I have no idea what you could possibly mean. Another silly muggle holiday of yours?" He said mock-haughtily.

"Oh it's nothing really, just an outrageous muggle celebration about love. Literally the thing that we are the creators of…" she laughed against him. It was true though…they were the first instance of soul mates in the Universe, the creators of true love.

Lucius said nothing but moaned lazily in her ear and held her close. She wiggled against him most likely trying to retort back with something and look into his eyes with mischief, but he just held her ever closer, his grip around her was like iron, and he leaned his head in to give her little love bites upon her neck. Truth be told, he did actually know what Valentine's Day was. After he had learned what Thanksgiving was months ago when he had celebrated with her family, he wanted to see what other muggle holidays there were that Aria was bound to enjoy. The instant he learned about Valentine's Day, he couldn't help but smirk and start scheming. The holiday was truly them. But for now he enjoyed feigning ignorance and indifference towards it, as he loved riling her up a bit.

Aria giggled uncontrollably at his attentions to her sensitive neck, and she tried to jokingly push him away but soon she began to submit and let her true arousal take over and she started moaning in pleasure as Lucius continued nipping and kissing her. She ground her hips against him, causing their genitals to rub up against one another. Lucius' member twitched with longing; he truly could never get enough, and he loved it. But he had something up his sleeve, and now he was getting distracted from their earlier game; as much as he wanted her, he pulled away from his ministrations on her neck.

"Ah ah ah my petit Goddess…not until tonight…" Lucius' honeyed voice drawled out, indicating he wanted to wait until that night in Scotland to make epic love under the Callanish Stones.

"But my love-" she began to protest. "It is Valentine's Day after all…" she pouted, trying to make him give in. "And you are the one driving me wild with those little love nips of yours!"

"As I told you before, I have no idea what you could possibly mean. I have never heard of such a silly day," he said, trying to keep a straight face as he wriggled out of her arms this time, and stood. "And as for driving you wild…well…" he said with a raised, haughty eyebrow. His cock was still slightly erect, and Aria couldn't help but stare with wide eyes up at him, as he looked like a naughty version of a Greek statue.

Lucius grabbed their robes which had been draped over one of the chairs and laid hers down beside her and began to put on his. He saw she was still staring at him, with a slight pout on her lips, her eyes glancing from his large cock, back up to his eyes and then back down to his cock again.

"See something you like my love?" He said as he put his hands on his hips and just stood there, his cock at eye level with where she still laid on the couch.

"Yes!" She laughed and pouted. "But someone wants to play games and be a tease this morning!" She huffed out, but couldn't help the smirk that danced across her lips.

Oh how Lucius loved seeing her pout; it was too cute. After he surprised her, he knew she wouldn't be mad for long too.

"Shhhh," he said putting his finger up to his lips and then offering her his hand so he could help her off the couch. She accepted his outstretched hand and then immediately went to put on her robe. "Now…close your eyes…" Lucius demanded.

"But Lucius? What's going on?!" Aria asked, her curiosity now piqued.

"I said…close your eyes," Lucius demanded once again, as he stepped closer to his love.

Aria flushed a deep pink color, and Lucius wasn't sure if it was out of frustration, arousal or a mix of both. Most likely both; but the color suited her so well. She was so naturally gorgeous Lucius thought.

"Your flushed skin is very becoming," he said huskily as he stepped yet again closer in to his woman. "Now though…close. your. eyes."

Aria finally complied and Lucius grabbed her hand and led her out of the room and down across the way to the large dining room of the Manor. Aria had followed her naughty and sexy fiancé, with even more curiosity now. She knew he was up to something, if his teasing and his haughtiness wasn't enough of a giveaway. Her eyes were closed and she let him lead her out of the library and down a hall or two, until she felt him stop moving, and so she stopped as well. Her eyes were still closed, but her nose picked up on some of the most divine smells she had ever breathed (besides Lucius himself of course.)

"Lucius what's going on?" She said with wonder in her voice. She felt Lucius' warm hand squeeze hers and then heard him lovingly whisper in her ear, _"Open your eyes my love."_

Aria looked around the grand dining room with wonder in her eyes. She had never in her life seen so many stunning red roses in one spot. She felt like Alice in Wonderland, having just entered one of her magical places. Every available surface was covered in the most plush red roses she had ever seen; from the mantle of the grand fire place, to the fancy vases, side tables and even surrounding the large family portraits in frames made from roses. There were even roses coming out and winding around the epic chandelier that hung over the table. And while the table had tons of roses upon it as well, it was also supporting an amazing looking breakfast, that any Valentine's Day party would be envious of. Waffles and pancakes of many sorts topped with a wide variety of fresh fruits, chocolate and creams, chocolate dipped strawberries, pots of steaming hot coffees and teas, and where Aria usually sat, a perfectly wrapped present sat waiting for her, wrapped in red and tied up with a black bow.

Aria had been so shocked that she had remained silent, as she absorbed in all of the romance. She slowly turned to Lucius, who had been eyeing her, the man had a heartbreakingly handsome smirk on his face; he was clearly very impressed and proud of himself that he had managed to pull of such a surprise. Of course the surprise was as over-the-top and epic as his wealth, generosity and love towards Aria could afford.

"Lucius…it's… _stunning_ …" she said as some tears welled up in her eyes. How had she ended up so incredibly lucky? She had the most romantic man in the world, and everything he was, was all for her. "You truly didn't have to do all of this! I was just teasing you from earlier. I know how you feel about these silly muggle holidays!"

"But are you surprised? Happy?" Lucius said a glint in his silver eyes.

"Incredibly so!" Aria replied as she wrapped her hands around his neck, and brought him in for a slow, and passionate kiss; pressing her body up against her tall lover.

"Mmmm…"he groaned out, as he held her petit body. "Why don't you go open that little gift at your seat…" he suggested with a raised eyebrow.

Aria smiled back and walked quickly over to her normal seat. She picked up the box in her hands and delicately unwrapped it to reveal a sleek, black box. Aria opened up the box by lifting the lid and her skin flushed a faint pink, and little butterflies formed inside at what she saw he had gotten for her. Lucius, the naughty boy, had gotten her the most stunning lingerie set she had ever seen. It was the most gorgeous shade of deep-forest green and the bra and panties were a see-through delicate lace, with a pattern on top of the deep green color of gorgeous, tiny white flowers scattered about. The matching garter set came with a pair of beautiful, sleek, black thigh-high nylons.

As Aria flushed and admired the new lingerie as she heard Lucius come up behind her and then felt the delicious sensation of his large, warm hands coming up behind her to wrap delicately around her tiny neck, and then up a tiny bit to gently grab the base of her hair and pull her head back so he could whisper in her ear.

"I told you before that you would only wear lingerie from me or nothing at all…you can be a good girl and wear these tonight for me in Scotland," he huskily whispered in her ear.

Aria's skin broke out in so much gooseflesh at his honeyed, seductive words and her eyes closed in anticipation for that night's sexual escapades in the tent and at the Standing Stones.

* * *

After a marvelous and romantic breakfast, in which Aria mainly sat in silence as she admired the romance and the incredible atmosphere Lucius had created for her and only her, the two quickly packed some light bags for their quick trip to Scotland to celebrate Aria's work on Midhope Castle. Aria hadn't fussed over packing; all she needed was an elegant, yet simple black evening dress and a few of her silk robes and lounge clothes that she could wear around the tent. She fully intended on utilizing Lucius' magical tent and didn't plan on wearing clothes that often anyways.

Aria met Lucius down in the grand entry-way of the Manor and was pleased that he had packed similarly. She gave him a smirk of knowing; a look that they both knew that they wouldn't require many clothes over the next few days. The one thing she was most excited for though, seemed to be missing.

"Where is the tent?" She asked Lucius, who seemed unconcerned himself.

Lucius smiled at her with a glint in his eye, and pulled out from his pocket a tiny square of white fabric, that looked like a bundled up washcloth, or something like that.  
"Don't fret my love. I could never forget the most important part of our trip here," he said as he put the piece of square cloth back in his robe pocket.

"That!? That little, tiny square fabric was the tent?" Aria wondered aloud.

"Indeed it is," he said matter of factly, as he smiled at Aria's continued awe of him and his magical surprises. She always knew how to boost his ego, and he would of course let her.

"You never cease to amaze me…never," Aria said as she wrapped her hands around Lucius' slim waist. He kissed the top of her head sweetly, and in an instant, apparated them to the crisp, cold and gorgeous Isle of Lewis; to the same sandy banks of Loch Roag that they had been to months ago.

Aria still held Lucius around his waist, not dizzy at all from his perfect apparition. For just a brief moment the two held onto each other, looking out at the gorgeous Loch, its waters calm and cleansing to the soul. They could both already feel the magic of the Callanish Stones which were just over the sandy hills to their right; their bodies buzzed with need and want for each other, their soul mate connection calling out to them like a beacon.

Aria felt almost as if in a trance, never wanting to move from the serene moment, however Lucius' lovely voice spoke quietly in her ear. He was letting her know that they should get settled in and begin getting ready for her Gala. They would need to apparate a bit back down to the South of Scotland, near Edinburgh, for the big event at Midhope Castle.

Lucius took the fabric square out of his pocket and threw it onto the sandy shore where they stood and then took out his wand and pointed it at the little fabric square. " _Capacious Extremis_ ," he muttered. All of a sudden the little square twitched, and then in a blink of an eye, expanded into the size of a normal looking tent. Seemingly normal on the outside, but Aria knew of course, that inside was the regal and elegant pleasure palace she had remembered from months ago.

Lucius put his warm hand on the small of Aria's back and led her into the tent. Her face instantly broke out into a glowing smile, as did Lucius'. He had always loved this tent, even before he met Aria, but the instant he stepped in, he too, remembered the last time he had been in this tent had been some of the most magical days of his life; with Aria. The two felt immensely happy, as if on the same wavelength and both leaned in at the same time to kiss each other tenderly and romantically. Being back in this tent, and with the love of his life, Lucius felt himself getting rather aroused and hard, but he knew they had to get ready. With a low moan in his chest, he reluctantly pulled away.

"Mmmm…must resist…" he said with a rare, innocent smile on his lips, causing Aria to chuckle slightly herself. She too was feeling rather tempted by the gorgeous man in front of her, but decided to do the responsible thing and head in to the amazing bathroom of the tent to begin getting ready.

Upon stepping into the stunning bathroom, Aria's mind flashed with memories of it as well, with its huge, sunken tub in the middle of the room and the gorgeous floating chandelier which seemed to emanate a green light, causing the space to be nothing short of heaven itself. With a sigh of happiness, she shed her clothes and began getting ready for the Gala. She put on her elegant black dress, which hugged her body perfectly, the silks sleeves of the dress hanging romantically low passed her shoulders, the back of the dress also a bit low as well, revealing the smooth, supple skin of her back. Her hair flowed in mermaid waves and shined bright and blonde in the setting sunlight that flowed through the tent and her neutral makeup highlighted her naturally outstanding beauty. Pleased with the results of her preparation she stepped back out into the main space of the tent and was equally as pleased at seeing her love. He never failed to dress to impress and tonight was no different in any way. He looked absolutely divine in a suit that was so dark green that it almost appeared to be black, however upon closer inspection, the material's pattern was a very subtle tartan-like design; very fitting for Scotland. Over his shoulders his warm, wool robes were draped across him like some kingly-cape and his hair was pulled back with a leather looking band.

"You look like a Scottish Slytherin King," Aria mused aloud as her eyes took in her soulmate adoringly.

"And you my love…" he said grabbing her around the waist and pulling her in close as he admired her curve hugging dress, "look absolutely stunning as usual….too stunning perhaps…I will be quite distracted all evening and will surely be counting down the minutes until we can return back here," he smirked.

Apparating to the Gala was simple and successful and Aria began growing more and more excited as her and Lucius made their way through the stone arch towards the beautifully lit up Midhope Castle. To see lights shining from the inside made her heart glow with happiness. The last time she had seen this place it had been tragically derelict but because of her work and the support of the Scottish and Wizarding governments, and of the donors of course, this historical castle was back to its former glory.

Aria was greeted warmly by all of the important people she had worked with and was so happy to see them. The First Minister of Scotland, a muggle no less, kissed her kindly on the cheek and congratulated her on her successful project. Aria and Lucius even saw the Minister for Magic there himself of course, and he made his way shyly up to them and quietly congratulated Aria and quickly walked away, just as quickly as he had approached. He was still clearly ashamed of what happened at his New Year's Eve Ball. Aria wouldn't be surprised if he would be de-seated soon as Minister. After that incident, a lot of the Wizarding World didn't hold him in the highest confidence when it came to safety and competence. The benefit on the other hand, was a lot of the Wizarding World in Britain was now very supportive of Aria and Lucius' relationship, and Aria's heart lightened considerably when she saw a lot of the attendees of the Gala warmly greeting Lucius as well; no longer shunning him.

After grabbing some delicious drams of Scottish whisky, Aria and Lucius made their way inside the newly renovated estate. Aria drew in a breath of utter wonder and awe at the sight. The change was night and day. The decrepit staircase was restored and was the centerpiece of the room, and the iconic painted ceiling ,which had been crumbling to bits, was now restored and looked like something you would see right out of Versailles or the Vatican. The many fireplaces were lit, giving off a warm and cozy vibe, welcoming in the visitors from the cold, Scottish air outside. Aria and Lucius explored all of the restored rooms, from the refurbished kitchen, which was now usable, to the grand dining room, to the lavish guest rooms. Aria held on to Lucius' hand so tight, she was so full of pride and excitement for all of the restored history around her. She couldn't stop whispering to herself over and over " _amazing_ " and " _incredible_."

Finally the two entered what was the newly restored and rearchived library; a library almost as impressive as the one of the Malfoy Manor. Aria and Lucius were briefly too distracted by the books and the history to have noticed that Draco sat by himself, next to the roaring fire, looking pensive and nervous. Upon hearing their entering, the young Malfoy looked up, and seemed unsurprised at their presence.

"Oh…hello Draco," said Lucius indifferently, as if speaking to any random person off the street.

"Father. Aria," Draco replied as he stood up and nodded his head at them once. "I knew you two would be here…I tried to get out of this event…but since I was the Gringott's representative, my hand was forced into coming," he said looking down, almost as if ashamed to be in their presence.

"Why would you try and get out of coming? You played a part in the Castle's success did you not?" Aria asked, genuinely curious as to why he would not want to come…although she thought she might already know the answer.

"I don't know…I guess I just didn't want to rain on your parade I suppose…well…I don't know…" he mumbled.

Lucius looked at his son, then at Aria, not exactly knowing what to say, so Aria spoke for them both.

"Draco…I think it is time that we put the past behind us. Your mother is paying for her crimes, and Lucius and I are moving on. Perhaps you can as well? For the sake of all of our sanity?" Aria asked him gently. She still held a great level of distrust towards the younger Malfoy, however she really did just want to leave the rocky past behind her.  
Aria heard Lucius let out a sigh. Perhaps he wouldn't have been as gentle or positive as she had been towards his son, but that is what he loved about her. Her light and positivity she tried to shine onto everyone…even if in Lucius' mind they truly didn't deserve it. However, the look Draco gave her, one of innocence and one of submission gave Lucius hope. Hope that one day he and his son would truly be able to get passed this mess of a relationship; get passed the trauma and the betrayal. Lucius had been working on that inwardly with himself, but he and his son still had a ways to go. With Aria there to guide them however, he knew that one day his relationship with his son would be able to be mended.

Draco appeared as if he was about to say something, but right at that moment, a press secretary from the Ministry came trotting into the room, a bit winded as if she had been quickly trying to find Aria, because the moment she came into the room and saw Aria she breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Oh there you are Miss De La Cour! The guests are gathering in the grand dining room for some toasts and speeches. We were wondering if you'd like to speak?" The little witch inquired. It wasn't so much of a request, as if a hidden demand. They wanted Aria to make a little toast.

"Oh! Ummm…sure!" Said Aria, a bit taken by surprise. She could be shy in front of crowds, but she was really passionate about this project and would be delighted to say something in honor of the evening. She squeezed Lucius hand and with one last look at Draco, who smiled ever so slightly in their direction, led him back out and down the hallway to head into the large dining area, which had been cleared so that the large crowd could gather around for the speeches and toasts. After a few short and sweet speeches from Scotland's First Minister and from the Minister of Magic, everyone looked in Aria's direction and she assumed correctly that it was her signal to get up and say something.

As she stood in front of the crowd of witches, wizards, and even muggles, she cleared her throat and flushed slightly. Everyone was staring at her as if she was something holy and wondrous. She would never get used to her reputation she had gained as a powerful, mystical, mysterious young witch.

"Well I just wanted to say how thankful I am to have been involved in such a project. This was my first ever project that I worked on when I first came to England many months ago now, and I feel so honored and blessed to have been involved in something so important and special as this. Thanks to everyone here, this once neglected and forgotten piece of Wizarding history can now be enjoyed and loved for centuries to come. Hopefully by restoring this amazing piece of history, we can continue to educate our people about our rich and amazing past. Thank you all for embracing me and what I do, and for celebrating something I am so passionate about. Many thanks, and Slàinte!" She said as she raised her glass of whisky in cheers to everyone and took a sip. Everyone beamed at her and raised their glasses as well to take a swig of their own drinks, but no one beamed at her more brightly than Lucius of course. He couldn't have been more proud of his brilliant witch.

* * *

After a long night of mingling and drinking, it was getting to be a bit late, and Aria and Lucius were both getting antsy to get in some alone time before the copious amounts of whisky they drank really began making them feel too tired and cozy. They were both at the point of feeling that tingling excitement one gets from drinking a lot, but not quite too much, and every time Lucius touched the small of her back, or lightly held her hand in his, Aria almost tackled him in want. Lucius seemed to sense this and so with a few last goodbyes (Draco was nowhere to be seen, since the library) Aria and Lucius apparated back to their little piece of secluded heaven back at the tent.

Aria requested Lucius get comfortable and wait for her in the sitting area where a gorgeous Moroccan styled green lantern cast a luminous green glow over a nest of comfortable pillows and blankets. She quickly shed her dress and changed into the stunning lingerie set Lucius had gotten her that morning for Valentine's Day; the dark green of the lace making her eyes stand out very much so. Although Lucius had seen her naked countless times, she knew that the barely there material, the seductive and teasing see-through of the lace and the thigh-high black stockings would drive him absolutely wild. He had bought her this set after-all, and he knew what he liked, and oh would he love seeing her in this.

As she stepped quietly out from the bathroom area, she saw Lucius waiting for her in the living area. His back was turned to her as he waited in silence, and she saw he had changed out of his suit and into absolutely nothing. For a moment Aria just stood there silently in the hallway and smiled at her god-like man, his the muscles of his back shining in the green-light of the lamp and his firm, smooth backside looking absolutely perfect. He was so incredibly beautiful to her that sometimes she couldn't process that he belonged to her and her alone.

She crept up behind him and put her hands over his eyes and felt him slightly chuckle under her touch. She couldn't help but place a few kisses on his back as she whispered to him. "Guess who?"

"Well it must be my goddess divine," he said matter of factly.

Aria's heart soared and fluttered at his perfect romance and she smiled against him as she still held her hands over his eyes. "Keep your eyes closed until I say you can open them," she demanded of him.

"As you wish," he agreed as he felt her remove her hands and heard her step around him, as he kept his word and kept his eyes shut.

Aria positioned herself so that she was standing directly under the green light of the lantern so that her whole body was washed in the otherworldly glow. She did feel rather beautiful and emboldened wearing such an outfit and also assisted by the earlier whisky drinking. "Okay…open," she said breathily.

Lucius opened his eyes and took in one of the most gorgeous sights he had ever seen; the only other thing he could imagine being even more gorgeous was Aria's naked body. His eyes instantly grew dark, hooded and desirous as he took in his witch. Her perfect petit and toned body was made for the lingerie set he had gotten her and he couldn't help it as his mouth fell slightly open in want. The barely there design of the set left little to the imagination and he could see her rosebud nipples through the delicate lace. The thigh high stockings hugged her thighs perfectly and the garter straps highlighted her slim waist and ample bottom. She truly was a masterpiece of a woman.

"Fuck…" Lucius said as he stepped in closer and circled her as if about to devour her whole being.

Aria flushed and looked down in shyness. The look he was giving her was everything she had hoped for and his rare use of curse words made her know that he was immensely pleased at what he saw and felt.

He circled her once more and ended up behind her and then she felt his warm hands come up from behind, one hand wrapping around her waist the other wrapping lightly around her throat. His warm breath tickled her ear and neck and her skin tingled as his hands began roving all over the front of her body, touching her skin, cupping her breasts and worshipping it all. "You, my love…" he said huskily, "are the most stunning goddess…and such a _good, good girl_ …" he said, knowing that whenever he called her a good girl, she practically melted into a puddle of desire.

Aria moaned wantonly, and felt herself dripping with need at her core. She absolutely adored when he called her a good girl and she loved feeling so small and beautiful in this man's arms. He rubbed his now throbbing cock against her behind, letting her know how much of an effect she had upon him in her lingerie.

He continued rubbing her with his large, warm hands and he whispered yet again into her ear. "Are you ready my love?"

At first she wasn't too sure what he meant, but she knew he meant if she was ready to go to the standing stones that lay just beyond where their tent was. Her body was tingling all over and she needed him so badly and she couldn't wait any longer. "Yes…always…" she moaned out with a smile.

With a smirk, Lucius grabbed her hand and then knelt down so that both of them were now on their knees in the nest of pillows and blankets. Lucius cupped her cheek gently, and his silver eyes pierced into her own. "Lean back," he said seductively. Aria immediately complied and closed her eyes in bliss as Lucius kissed her passionately and then leaned his head against her own. Soon enough she felt a tingling sensation take over her whole body and she was vaguely aware that Lucius had apparated them straight to the standing stones. She had been so caught up in her feelings of lust towards him she had barely noticed until she felt the slightly cool night air around them.

Without saying anything, Lucius continued to kiss her as if his life depended on it, his lips urgent as they parted her own; his tongue coming to dance perfectly around her's. His right hand touched her everywhere that it could, and he squeezed her left breast, cupping it in his hand and rubbing her hard nipple through the lace fabric of the bra she wore. Aria moaned out in pleasure into the air, and she realized she wanted to utilize her wandless magic to open up their mental connection.

She put her hand on his bare chest, feeling his heartbeat underneath her palm, and she closed her eyes as she concentrated on the feeling of her love for Lucius and the feeling of his lips and hands upon her. In her mind she thought of the Lumos Interius spell that they used to light up each other from the inside out, like they had done the first time they made love here at the Callanish Stones. If it was a magical night such as Samhain or one of the Solstices she wouldn't have needed the spell; they would have been glowing naturally; however using this spell now was a good way to get a similar feeling and a perfect way to open up their mental link.

Her wandless spell immediately caused Lucius chest to begin glowing like a shining star in the sky and he moaned out into the night air as he felt their mental link open up. The two were able to now feel the pleasure of the other and it was that addictive drug type feeling that they could never get enough of. Lucius moved his hand from cupping her breast to the center of her chest as well to utter " _Lumos Interius_ ," as he lit her up from the inside out as well.

Aria instinctually opened up her legs, welcoming him and luring him in. She wanted all of him now and through their mental connection she could feel his throbbing desire. Like a magnet, Lucius centered himself atop of her so his cock was poised right at her entrance and he reached down to move her panties to the side. The slowest he had ever gone, he entered her completely and fully. Aria felt every long, thick inch of him and it felt as if he never ended, causing one long moan to escape from her lips at his slow entrance into her warm embrace. For a while Lucius simply stayed still, reveling in the warmth of her; it felt like coming home every single time and Lucius would have been perfectly content to just stay like this forever, her body warming his cock until he end of time.

But he soon however wanted more, and so suddenly he thrusted one time, rather hard, into her causing her to gasp. With the hard thrust, the light from their centers started radiating out towards their arms. Lucius smiled as the Lumios Interius spell worked its magic and so he began pounding into her more, each thrust hard and completely its own. He looked down at his woman, looking so incredibly beautiful in her lingerie, and with her skin glowing like a million stars and he just admired her as he fucked her. Her mind was on another plane of existence and her eyes were closed as he continued thrusting up into her, hitting her G-spot each time.  
"Look at me my love," he demanded her, wanting to see those green orbs of wonder.

Her eyes fluttered open, her brow still furrowed however as her mouth opened in a perfect, plush 'O' of pleasure.

"It feels so good…so amazing…I love you so much Lucius…" Aria purred out to him.

The light from the spell inside of him glowed brighter and his mental connection with her thrummed with delight as he truly did feel the love she had for him being shared between their two bodies and minds.

"And I you," he said back to her as his hard pounds into her began picking up pace. As he sped up and their bodies glowed completely now, they began hearing the stones around them start to whir and make the whooshing noises as they always did every time they made love in a stone circle such as this; truly as if nature was witnessing their deep love.

Aria at this point was moaning so loud it was practically screams of pleasure, as her man thrusted against that perfect point within her and soon she was wrapping her legs around his waist, drawing him even deeper, before Lucius felt her inner walls convulse and pulsate and explode all over him. The warmth of her inside clinging to his cock, the feeling of his true love's orgasm always driving him over the edge as well. He filled her up with his warm cum and stayed inside of her for what felt like ages.

The glowing of their bodies didn't stop and the pleasure they felt between the two of them never abated, and so within minutes, Lucius was again hard and ready for her, his body feeling as young and virile as ever.

The two lovers continued on this pattern throughout the whole night, fueled by their endless desire and from the magic they felt from their surroundings, in the ancient and mystical place of epic magic. Before they knew it, over the horizon they could make out the beginnings of the sun starting to rise, as the dark night sky was beginning to turn a bit less black and a bit more grey. Lucius and Aria had lost track of how many orgasms each of them had at that point, and at some time, many hours ago, Aria's lingerie had been ripped from her body and tossed aside, no longer needed. The two lovers stared up at the slowly lightening sky, their bodies slick and shining with the fading Lumos Interius spell and the sweat of their exertions. With a heavy breath of surrender Lucius whispered into Aria's ear. "It's time to sleep my love."

With a smirk of pure satisfaction, Aria closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her lover's neck, and again without realizing it, Lucius had apparated them straight back into the comforts of the tent. As their mental connection began fading due to the quickly approaching darkness of sleep and exhaustion, both Aria and Lucius felt one last swell of their soul mate connection and the knowledge that Scotland was definitely becoming a place of so much importance for them, and would always hold a special place in each of their hearts.


	38. Daydreaming

**I am glad I was able to get this brief, fluff-romance chapter up for you guys! I enjoyed writing this one and I just love these two so much. I am uploading the album of photos for this chapter on Pinterest now, so don't forget to check that out and also don't forget to review please! I absolutely love hearing from you, and thank you to my regular commenters on here who always keep me motivated to keep going!**

**xoxo**

* * *

Lucius watched his fiancé from across the sprawling Manor lawn and couldn't help but smile a bit as his heart beat contentedly in his chest; it was full of so much love he thought it would surely burst. Over the past few weeks he couldn't help but fall even more in love with her, if that was even possible. She had a new glow about her; her skin seemed to be flushed a very gorgeous and subtle shade of pink all of the time lately, and Lucius adored it. She was definitely feeling her pre-wedding glow. Lucius had heard rumors of brides-to-be acting monstrous over the stress of wedding planning, but Aria was the complete opposite. Walking sunshine as usual.

She was currently looking at flower options for the wedding. Lucius had of course let her plan the wedding and all of the details to her liking, however he had insisted that they utilize his high-profile contacts in the Wizarding World to provide them with the most magical wedding imaginable. For today he had summoned one of France's most celebrated and popular florists, Gabriel Sorrel, to come and show Aria some options for the flowers for their wedding. Aria had mentioned that she had been so amazed at the countless stunning roses Lucius had gotten for her on Valentines Day, and he had told her they had come from Gabriel's flower emporium in Paris.

It was a crisp and cold early afternoon, but the sun shown bright and luminous all around the grounds of the Manor. Gabriel had set out on the vast front lawn of the Manor dozens of stunning floral samples of what Aria and Lucius could potentially have at their wedding. Gabriel himself was very excited, not only for his previous expertise of working with the Malfoy family, but because this wedding was surely to be one of the most prominent the Wizarding World had ever known.

Lucius watched Aria from afar still, and was very pleased as he saw her smile grow and grow at the sight of so many gorgeous flowers, most of the designs incorporating various types of roses. Gabriel was trying to impress her with a display of rather vibrant purple roses, but Lucius knew what Aria would end up loving. The second he had seen Gabriel magically conjure up the display, Lucius knew that is what Aria would choose. The display was nothing but the purest and most fluffy-soft looking peonies and roses in the most crisp white Lucius had ever seen, the same flowers he had gotten Aria on the night he had proposed to her in the hidden little cupid-fountain area of the Manor gardens. Sure enough, Aria smiled politely at Gabriel but refused the vibrant purple flowers and instead walked over to the white peonies and roses. Lucius smiled to himself; he knew it.

"These. These are the ones," Aria said as her eyes were entranced with the pure beauty of the flowers. "I would love for these flowers to be literally everywhere, as far as the eye can see," she said dreamily, her wedding glow even more pronounced.

Lucius knew Aria was a humble person, despite her beauty and her intelligence. It is something he had always loved about her, what with him being such an old show-off and someone who, in the past, had not been humble about anything. He also knew she was not used to having an unlimited amount of money to do with as she would like. Of course he was used to that, being the wealthiest man in all of the British Wizarding World, but he knew for Aria it was still something she wasn't used to, and even at times felt uncomfortable about. When Lucius had told her that their wedding had no budget, her eyes had nearly popped out of her head with the shock of it. She had tried to protest, had tried to tell him she would contribute her own earnings into their big day, but he would hear none of it. Marrying her would be the biggest blessing of his life, and the endless coffers of the Malfoy family would surely pay for the momentous occasion.

Eventually Aria had relented, and had embraced the whirlwind ride that was wedding planning. Lucius was glad she had nothing to worry about and was happy her plans were going along swimmingly so far.

As Aria still stared at the gorgeous white roses, she raised her green eyes to look across the lawn to where Lucius was observing and looked at him as if asking him silently what his opinion was. He simply wanted whatever she did, and he smiled at her warmly, his silver eyes shining in the bright sun like two diamonds, as if telling her he loved her choice. She flushed a deeper shade of pink in satisfaction and the smile she returned back to him was so gorgeous it took Lucius' breath away.

"Ah…simple yet divine," said Gabriel, pleased with Aria's choice. "Do not worry _ma chere_ , on your wedding day, these flowers will surround you like the magical clouds of Heaven itself," he assured her.

"Wonderful!" Aria beamed with happiness.

After a few more pleasantries in which Lucius joined in on, as he slipped Gabriel a large velvet bag full of galleons (to which Aria luckily didn't notice), Gabriel magically packed up his flower displays and apparated with a pop, leaving Aria and Lucius alone together.

"Did you enjoy yourself my love?" Lucius asked as he wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close as he looked down at her lovingly.

"Oh yes. I have been having such an amazing wedding planning experience. Thanks to you, everything has been going so smoothly. Gosh back in America I would have been considered weird for not becoming a bride-zilla!"

Lucius laughed at Aria's odd American phrase, but was pleased that she was happy. With his hand on her waist still, he began leading her around the large front grounds of the property, and then headed towards the back gardens.

Aria walked close to her lover and couldn't imagine marrying any other man. His generosity, his love and loyalty for her, his fierce protection, and his seductive side were all she could ever hope for in a man. She truly had been so blessed to have such support from her fiancé during this time. She began daydreaming, as they walked in the beautiful Manor grounds, about the previous week, when Lucius had surprised her with a spur-of-the-moment trip to Paris for her, Pepper and Hermione.

Lucius had booked them a gorgeous suite in an upscale hotel in the iconic Latin Quarter of Paris for the weekend, in the hopes that she would be able to go wedding dress shopping at some of the most coveted couture-shops in all the world. Giving her the equivalent of a Wizarding credit card with unlimited money on it was something Aria could barely wrap her head around as well. Both Pepper and Hermione had immediately said yes to a free Paris trip (who wouldn't), and the three young women had looked forward to having one of the best girl's weekends imaginable.

From the delectable food, to the gorgeous sights, Paris was already Aria's favorite city in the world, but experiencing it with two of her best friends was something out of this world, and it was all thanks to her brilliant and amazing fiancé. Aria had indeed found her dream wedding dress at a gorgeous little boutique on the Champs-Elysees Avenue called _La Fleur de Lis._ To Aria's great surprise the second that she walked up to the door of the dress shop, her mother was there waiting for her out in front of the door!

"Mom!?" Aria cried as she ran over and threw her arms around her Mom as she began crying tears of happiness. Diana cried as well as she hugged her daughter close.

"Lucius owled me…with a ticket to Paris and an invitation to come dress shopping with you. I was told to keep it a surprise!" Her mother said as she kissed her daughter on the cheek. "He is a very special man…"

"Oh yes! Yes he is!" Aria said through the tears as she thought of how she could ever repay Lucius for being so thoughtful and beyond amazing. "But how did you know what shop we would be at?"

Hermione and Pepper looked down at the ground and flushed a bit. They were in on the surprise too it seemed. No wonder they had been adamant they come to this boutique first today.

"You guys knew as well?" Aria asked with a smile at her two best friends.

Both of the ladies nodded and smiled back as Aria hugged them both with equal enthusiasm.

The four excited ladies had walked happily into the bridal shop, not knowing that this would be the only store they would need to go for dress shopping. The second Aria put on the dress she began welling up with tears, and knew it was the dress of her dreams, the one that she would walk down the aisle with to marry the love of her live; the love of her many lifetimes actually.

Hermione, Pepper and her mom had all gotten emotional and cried themselves as Aria walked out of the changing room in the stunning gown. It was a gorgeous tulle A-line gown that had an epicly long train in the back that made her look like a fairy tale bride. The bodice of the dress was all lace appliqués as if the lace was actually apart of her skin and although parts of it were see-through on her torso, it was seductive yet classy. The back of the gown dipped rather low as well, and she knew Lucius would go crazy over that aspect of it. He always loved the smooth, velvet skin of her back and she could already imagine them dancing on their wedding night, him holding her close to his body, as his hands held her protectively, his fingertips lightly tracing delicious lines up and down the bare skin of her back. Her skin already tingled with the thought of it happening.

The rest of the weekend had been an absolute delight as well, as the four ladies found themselves eating at picture perfect cafes for each meal, and enjoying some of the gorgeous sights of Paris, including Aria's favorite sights, The Paris Opera House and of course the Eiffel Tower. Aria adored having her Mother with her to share in the experience of it all, and it was all because of Lucius' thoughtfulness and his love for her. Even though she was with her favorite women and was in Paris, the most amazing city in the world, after a few days her body and mind were craving her powerful wizard, and she yearned for Lucius like her soul itself was screaming out for him. She knew spending days apart from him throughout the rest of her life wouldn't be easy in any situation and she then realized it was most likely due to their soul mate connection. Their bodies and souls would always call out to each other.

Aria's mind flashed back to the present as she walked hand in hand with Lucius around the Manor property. He had led them to the gorgeous back gardens as she had been daydreaming about her recent Paris trip, and she smiled as she realized that he had led them over to the gorgeous main fountain on the grounds where Lucius' Christmas gifts to her, the two rare swans, swam close to each other floating on the crystal clear water. Aria loved the swans…they too were also lovers, just like Lucius and Aria. They had been hoping for swan chicks soon, but there had been no indication of any eggs being laid yet, although Aria knew that once Spring really came around, there were for sure be little swanlings swimming all about. She could tell the two swans loved each other just like her and Lucius loved one another, and she just knew that there would be little chicks soon.

As Lucius sat them both down on the edge of the fountain so that they could admire their swans, Aria went into another daydream. This time not about the past, but about the future. Thinking of the future possible swan chicks also made her think about her and Lucius' future family together. Her glowing skin flushed with the pleasurable thought of it and her core tingled with need for him…for his child. Aria had never really gave a second thought about children, not until she had met Lucius. Although she adored her alone time with Lucius, the thought of him giving her a child and her holding that child within her and then loving it unconditionally like she did for Lucius, always made her heart swell. Their child would be the most beautiful and loved child in the entire Universe.

Aria smiled to herself and then looked up at Lucius, and blushed a bit when she realized he had been watching her the entire time her mind had worked through its fantasy daydream. He smiled down tenderly at her and then cupped his hand on her cheek.

"A penny for your thoughts?" He asked quietly and gently.

"Just day dreaming…" she said dazedly as she looked up at him into his silver gaze.

Lucius smirked his iconic smirk. "About me I hope?"

"Of course," Aria said with a smile and another blush as she revealed what else she had been thinking about. "Well…I had also been looking at the swans and thinking about how they must be getting ready to have some chicks soon….and that got me thinking…of our future family…our future babies," she said shyly.

Lucius said nothing, but his stare into her own eyes grew deeper and more intense and his smirk turned into a warm and genuine smile of pure love. He leaned in close to her face and with one last powerful gaze into her soul, kissed her passionately and knowingly. Silently agreeing with her that he often day dreamed about the exact same thing. His kiss was fierce and soul-crushing and Aria scooted as close as she could next to him from where they both sat on the fountain's edge as she moaned into the kiss, wrapping her right hand around his neck and lacing her fingers through his hair so that she could guide his head even tighter against her mouth. If she could, she would melt into his own body right now to become one.

"Besides marrying you, and making you mine forever, giving you my child will be the greatest honor of my life," he said huskily as he pulled away from the kiss after some time.

Aria's skin, heart and core tingled with molten-hot love and desire at his words and she couldn't help but mewl in longing and delight. Somehow during their passionate kissing, Lucius had gotten her up onto his lap, and she felt his cock stir with need for her under where she sat.

Whenever she thought about her Lucius, not only did she think of their love, but she also thought of their passion and their sexual magic they created together. Would that magic still be there when they had children though? She wasn't too sure why her mind switched so suddenly from the desire of having a child, to sudden uncertainty, but since they were on the subject of children, it had randomly come into her mind.

"Will you still find me as sexy when we have a child, as you do now?" She said blushing again, but for a different reason, and she buried her head into the crook of his neck.

"My love" he said, his voice clearly surprised. She felt his hand coming up under her chin to gently force her to look at him in the eyes. "I will always find you to be the most sexy and gorgeous creature on the face of this Earth. If anything you will be even more beautiful to me. You are a Goddess…so powerful and wonderful," he said with the deepest sincerity.

Aria rested her forehead against his, and closed her eyes in satisfaction at his words. She knew he was serious and meant every word, she just couldn't help but still feel that when they would have a child he would somehow see her not as much of a sexual being any longer. As usual Lucius understood her silence and knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Aria, my love, you never have to fret. I know us and I know our love and our passion…I know we will always still constantly find many moments and ways to ravish each other senseless…that will _never, ever_ change, even with a little one in our lives," he assured her with a chuckle.

Aria laughed a bit at her brief moment of doubt. She knew what he said was true but she just could never imagine losing that sexual side to their relationship.

"I know my love. I'm sorry for my brief moment of insecurity. I do want to have your child….so incredibly much, but I also always want to be sexy in your eyes…and not only be thought of as a _mother_ …it sounds so old," she laughed at her own ridiculous sounding self.

Lucius laughed even more at what she just said. "Sometimes I forget how young you really are!" He said as he kissed her on the lips in amusement at her own naivety. "You will be a mother yes, and that will be an incredible and powerful thing. But you will always and forever be my _sexy…good…girl_ ," he said as he enunciated each word.

Aria's skin shivered in delight at his words. Oh how she loved it when he called her a good, girl. It was definitely one of her biggest turn-ons and she couldn't help but moan a bit in pleasure and kiss him as she wriggled a bit on his lap, teasing his semi-hard cock.

Lucius smirked as she teased him relentlessly and gripped her hips with his hands, holding her in place with his impressive strength. "Well now you are just being a bad girl….teasing me like that…what will I ever do with you?"

Aria smirked back, loving how their serious conversation had seamlessly morphed into them teasing each other and driving each other mad with sexual tension and desire. Lucius was right, as usual. Of course they would always find time and situations to make love, whether it be sweet and gentle or like wild, untamed animals; there would always be time for that between them.

* * *

About half an hour later, Lucius and Aria lay breathless on the soft grass of the Manor grounds, wrapped up in Lucius' thick cloak as the sun shown down on them, warming their cuddled up bodies and shining off of their luminous blond heads, Lucius' hair shining even more brighter than Aria's.

The couple hadn't made it far after they began getting frisky by the fountain's edge. They had meant to make it into the Manor, but their sexual connection couldn't be stopped and Lucius had taken her up against one of the stone columns that surrounded the Manor on all sides. He wasn't gentle but he took his time as he had pounded into her as he held her up against the column between the stone of it and his own body. Eventually he had turned her around to take her from behind as she supported herself up with her hands, all the while as he whispered naughty things into her ear about her being such a bad girl….and then eventually, after he let her cum, how much of a good girl she was.

"Promise me you will come visit me in Oxford while I am there…" Aria moaned out as she cuddled even closer into Lucius' heated body.

Lucius tensed under her and then held her tight. He had completely forgotten that she had accepted the Ministry's offer of a job for her to go help re-archive and catalogue the entire Wizarding section of Oxford's world famous Bodlian Library.

"Damnit…I completely forgot about that," Lucius said with a genuine sadness to his voice. He was happy for her that she was going to have chance to work on such a special project, but he really hated the thought of her not being at home with him as often.

"I almost did too," Aria sighed. "But I leave tomorrow my love, and the job will surely last a few weeks."

"But you will be coming home every night I presume?" Lucius said as he stroked her under his tight grip on her.

"I will try, definitely. I know they will have a spare dorm for me there in case work goes late on some nights, but I would rather be here at home with you."

"I would quite prefer that as well," he said as he leaned his face into her and burrowed into her hair, breathing in her light scent of honey and roses.

Truth be told, Lucius really couldn't bear the thought of Aria not being with him in the Manor. She had brought so much light and love into his ancestral home over her many months with him and he would never admit it aloud to her, but he was almost slightly scared to be parted from her. The Manor always seemed to return back to its darkness while she was away for long periods of time and he couldn't bear it. It had been hard enough having her be in Paris for the long weekend with her mother and friends, but he knew that was a special time for her and so he was happy to do it for her. Lucius knew he had changed for the good, and that he truly was a man who had turned his back on his true darkness, but whenever he was without the love of his life, he could almost feel it creeping back in again.

Aria closed her eyes as she felt Lucius nuzzle into her hair and breath her in and out. His warm breath felt divine on her neck and she knew that during her time at Oxford, she would try as best as she could to come home every night, for she couldn't bear the thought of not having moments like this every day as well. Again, she knew it was the bond of their soulmate connection that made being parted feel so horribly wrong. However, Aria was still greatly excited to explore Oxford and the amazing college and library. It was always a place she had dreamed of going, and now her dream of going there was coming true. She couldn't wait to get her eyes and hands on some of the ancient texts that were sure to be there.

Aria smiled contentedly and closed her eyes as her and Lucius lay together, cuddled up under the bright sun as she thought about how amazing her life was in this moment in time. Everything was absolutely perfect; her career, her love with Lucius, the wedding planning…everything was right in her world. How lucky she was indeed.

* * *

Later that evening as Aria slept contentedly upstairs in their bed, packed and ready for her trip to Oxford the next day, Lucius lay awake, thinking to himself about his own luck as well. He had felt exceptionally blessed and content lately too; no more Narcissa, his relationship with his son improving, the divine love he shared with Aria, and the thought of their future family together…his world had never felt so right and full of hope. He still wasn't sure if he would ever get used to feeling this way; to not have a shadow of darkness within him or surrounding him, and for whatever reason, he felt the need to go to the library to look at the Soul Prophesies book. The Soul Prophesies book was the special and magical alchemical-like text that Lucius had discovered in his library, that foretold the significance and importance of his and Aria's relationship; a relationship that had been prophesied through the ages, since the beginning of true love.

He quietly got up out of bed and crept down to the library, his wand lighting his way with the use of a quick _Lumos_ spell. He made his way over to the shelf which held the rare book, Lucius knew exactly the spot it was in at this point, and he opened it up to the exact page which held their prophesy. As usual, the second his hands touched the pages, the Latin words all swirled together and the image of the two lovers, Aria and Lucius, formed on the page. He smiled at the beautiful sight, his silver eyes shining in the light of his wand and the magic emanating up from the book, as he read the sacred prophetic words.

_man and woman_  
_love at first sight_  
_their bond is forever_  
_their connection will change perceptions_  
_dark purity will become light purity_

Lucius' heart beat in contentment as he read the words of the prophecy over and over. His dark purity was definitely turning into light purity…perhaps the prophecy was already complete, he couldn't be sure….but he knew that a lot of this prophecy had already come true. The love at first sight, their forever bond, their relationship had certainly change people's perceptions of Lucius for the better, as he was no longer scorned as he once was, and Lucius knew in his heart that day by day, the darkness inside him grew a bit less. Lucius traced his fingers lovingly over the ancient image of him and Aria and smiled a bit as he closed the book delicately and put it away.  
Lucius climbed back into bed, finally ready to succumb to sleep as he spooned his witch. He soon fell asleep and dreamed of a time long, long ago, where two lovers united as one and discovered the magic that was true love.


	39. Oxford

**Hi guys! I hope you enjoy this next adventure in the story. Just a reminder that my story is smut heavy. I like reading stories and writing stories that focus primary on that, so if you get sick of that type of thing...well sorry! My stories tend to be smut/sex/romance/ focused with some story around it! Just the type of thing I like to read and write.**

**Enjoy! And please review if you can!**

* * *

Aria was fast asleep and dreaming. At least she thought she was. She couldn't quite focus on what she saw but it was a blurry mix of a calming, misty light, something sparkling and some bits of black. Her body felt like it was buzzing with the most divine feeling and she felt so blissful and at peace. She couldn't help but moan out in content pleasure at the feeling of seemingly floating through time and space.  
However, she then felt something warm and wet touch her body in the most intimate area and she woke up with a half startled, half orgasmic moan. Once her eyes adjusted she realized she hadn't been dreaming but had been in the realm between sleep and awake as Lucius had been touching her body, slowly awaking her to the most delightful feelings. She also realized what she had been seeing were the slightly drawn black curtains that partially blocked out the very, early morning sun, and it seeped through causing the room to glow in a deep, silvery-grey light. The sparkling that she had thought she had seen was actually that mystical light glinting off of the large chandelier that hung over their bed.

Lucius must have thought she was awake when she moaned in her in-between state of sleep and awake and he must have been hungry for her, since she now focused her eyes on where his blonde head was nestled between her legs as he feasted upon her body in the best of ways, his tongue drawing slow, seductive lines up and down her slit, teasing the little bundle of nerves, applying just the right amount of pressure with his warm tongue.  
"Lucius…" she sighed out dreamily as her hands found their way to the top of his head and pushed him in closer.

"Mmmmm," he groaned out in pleasure, as his mouth was otherwise preoccupied and couldn't respond with words.  
Aria still felt as if she was in some sort of dream-like state as Lucius ate her out for what seemed like ages. She still felt that hazy feeling one gets when trying to wake up in the morning, and with Lucius' incredible skill with his lips and tongue, she hadn't really left her dreamland yet. As he continued to pleasure her, he brought his arms and hands up to cup both of her breasts in his hands, as he began to give them pleasure as well.

Aria groaned in bliss and dug her hands and nails even more strongly within his blonde locks as she ground her hips and pussy against his mouth. She looked down with hooded eyes as she saw him cup and squeeze her breasts and she adored the way his shoulders and upper back flexed in this position, which caused his muscles to ripple and move with the movements of his mouth and neck.  
She could tell Lucius was getting incredibly aroused as well as she saw his own hips gyrating to the same rhythm as hers, his backside muscles also flexing as he moved his hips against the bed where he lay, most likely trying to pleasure his cock as he pleasured Aria's sweet pussy with his mouth.

Aria was coming more and more out of her sleepy state as she felt herself reaching her climax; but she was jolted like a bolt of lighting to full awareness as she felt him remove his right hand from her breast and drive his index and middle finger into her pussy as he continued eating her out, so that now he was working her with his mouth and his two, long fingers.

 _"Ahhh! Lucius, Lucius Lucius…!"_ She moaned loudly, as she repeated his name like a mantra; he was making her feel beyond amazing, stimulating her body in such a way.

His mouth and fingers were moving fast now, it felt like her clit was nearly on fire with the pleasurable friction his tongue was providing for her and his long fingers were easily able to reach up inside of her to rub against her G-spot with perfect dexterity.  
Aria's moaning was becoming more and more loud and erratic and Lucius could feel her insides beginning to tighten, preparing to climax all over his mouth and fingers.

"Lucius!" She cried out one last time before he raised his head to command her to come for him.

"Come for me… _now_ my love," he said raising his head and grey eyes to look at his lover's flushed face as her mouth opened into an orgasmic "O" shape as she came hard for him and only him.

His hips kept moving as he watched Aria come for him; the sight was everything to him and it turned him on more than anything else on the face of the Earth. As his cock rubbed against the bed from where he gyrated his hips, he couldn't take it any longer….her beauty and her pleasure were too much and he had to have her now. He slowly removed his fingers from Aria's pulsating pussy and gave her clit one last brief kiss before he raised himself up so that he could move over her to whisper in her ear as she came down from her orgasm.

 _"On all fours…now…_ " he demanded.

Aria shuddered at his domineering command. She still felt as if she was dreaming, the intense orgasm she just had did her no favors in trying to awaken her body, if anything it had made her even more spent and comforted, however she would of course obey her powerful wizard. He had just made her feel so incredibly good and now she wanted him to feel the same way.

With a sigh of contentment, she smirked up at Lucius who was now up on his knees as he waited for her to assume the position he desired. His cock was so hard and ready and she could see his precum, as he glistened with need for her. The smirk he gave back to her, could make her come again right then and there, as his grey eyes sparked with molten hot desire. She got on all fours and arched her back a bit, so that her luscious bum was on full display for him. She turned her neck around so she could take in Lucius' gaze upon her body, and she blushed a bit when she saw the look he was giving her backside. He stared at her bum with a look of pure desire, his eyes hooded and the silver of his eyes on fire. She saw his lips open a bit as he slightly licked his lips and she saw him silently mutter the words "fuck" and "beautiful" to himself, as he realized what he was about to have.

Aria wiggled her behind a bit, urging him to take her, and without hesitation and a slight animalistic growl of carnal desire, he plunged into her warm, wet heat swiftly and urgently. As he had entered her, Aria had backed her bum up a bit to meet his initial thrust, and that little move of hers drove Lucius wild. However, he wanted to be the dominant one in that moment, especially in the current position and so he grabbed her firmly by the hips and pulled out slowly and then plunged back in hard.

Aria gasped at how thick and hard Lucius felt inside of her as he drove himself in rather forcefully. Sometimes she couldn't believe how big he actually was and how he was able to fit inside of her and she submitted herself to his power, body and soul, as she leaned down on her forearms, arching her back even more, giving him all the access to her he needed and craved.

As she moved her body down at that angle, Lucius' arousal increased tenfold, seeing her bend her upper half to submit her lower half to him at such a vulnerable angle. "Ohh good girl…" he drawled out in bliss, his voice deep and quivering slightly from the pleasure he was taking from her in this angle. "Good girls get rewarded…" he continued, as his pace started picking up even faster.

Aria practically screamed out as she buried her face into the soft down comforter as her hands gripped the soft fabric as she held on for dear life, as it felt like her lover was going to split her in two, in the best way possible. She adored when he lost himself when he was inside of her and she met his thrusts equally as urgent as she backed up into him every time he thrust into her to get even closer, if that was possible. She felt Lucius put his left hand on the small of her back, and then felt his right hand reach around to first grab her right breast, as he squeezed it hard, and then felt his hand float lower over her stomach, and then right to where her clit was to circle it with his fingers. Aria moaned again into the comforter at the added sensation and then her whole body tensed with the newest and most surprising sensation she had ever felt; as he continued rubbing her clit with his right hand, his left had gone farther down her back until it reached her back entrance, which was in easy reach for Lucius in this naughty angle. She felt just the tip of his thumb slightly enter the place she had never felt him ever before.

What made Aria tense up was not the sudden intrusion into parts of her body that were untouched, but that it made the sensations she was feeling with his cock inside of her and his other hand on her clit so much more intense and pleasurable. She flushed hotly, and brought her head back up around to look at her Lucius. He had stopped thrusting briefly, feeling her tense up, and his cock throbbed in want to continue its movement….but when he saw her pretty little face stare back at him with the most appealing of blushes, he knew it felt good for her, and his classic smirk appeared on his face and he slowly regained his movement of his cock and fingers. He didn't go farther into her other space he was currently touching, but when he saw her flush even more and silently mouth his name, he quietly whispered "shhhh my love…" he said calming her down. "Does it feel good to you?" He asked gently, as he drove in slow stokes into her with his cock, knowing what her answer would be.

She nodded, her blush turning even more rosy at how depraved she felt, but she couldn't help it. That tiny touch of his thumb on that area as he continued to fuck her and please her just added so much more intensity and sexuality.

His smirk widened and his eyes glinted proudly. _"Good….good girl,"_ he praised her. What a naughty little witch he had; he adored her even more in that moment. He picked his pace back up as he removed both of his hands from what they were doing to grip her hips again. He felt his release coming soon, and now he simply craved to pound into her wildly unbridled.

Aria had moved her head back down into the comfortable bed and was practically screaming with her own unbridled bliss as Lucius fucked her like it was his last day on Earth. With one last look down at her glorious bum, the sight of it made Lucius shudder, clench up and then finally release. His seed came in long waves of absolute nirvana as he filled her up, some of it leaking out of her and dripping down her thighs. Dear god it was a very erotic sight, and it made him throb and come a bit more as the image burned into his memory. He was truly the luckiest man on the planet.

After a minute or so of catching his breath, he slowly pulled out of Aria's body, sighing at the loss of their connection. He heard Aria sigh out too, her moan a bit muffled by her face being buried amongst the comforter and pillows but she lowered her bottom half so that she lay flat on her stomach. Lucius grabbed his wand on his bedside table and muttered a cleansing charm over her, to clean up the mess he had made. After she was clean, Aria rolled over to her back to look up at her Lucius who leaned over her, a satisfied look upon his face, but also a look of love and adoration.

She was still slightly flushed from being so vulnerable and shy, and she remembered how innocent she truly was. She had only ever made love with the gorgeous man next to her, and so she knew that whenever she discovered something new sexually it would be with him, and there would be times she might be shy.

Lucius absolutely adored her innocence. It made him feel all the more powerful and dominant, something he would always have within him as parts of his personality. He put one of his hands to cup her cheek and looked at her straight in the eyes. "You are absolutely divine, my Goddess," he said romantically, making her feel instantly at ease as her blush faded.

Lucius hated seeing her blush disappear but he leaned in to kiss her as he held her close to his warm and satisfied body.  
"I wanted you to have something to remember, as you go off to your next job assignment in Oxford…I will miss you terribly…even if you do come home to me every night. I truly hate it when you are gone…whether its five minutes, a few hours or a few days…"he sighed as he traced delicious lines up and down her back with his fingertips as he held her.

She moaned a bit into his chest, reveling in his words and his comforting touch.  
"Mmmm, I certainly will take this morning's pleasure with me to Oxford…and I'll probably be aroused the entire time just thinking about it…how will I be able to do my work?" She laughed a bit as she kissed his smooth chest.

Aria full heartedly agreed with Lucius on the fact that being away from him was exceedingly difficult. Some people would say that they were too close…too dependent…that it wasn't healthy to rely one someone's presence that much….but for Aria and Lucius and their soulmate connection, it was vital to their very core that they were always near each other. Perhaps it was what they were, the fated Veelas in Wizarding History that started true love for all beings, but the farther apart they were, and for longer periods of time, it truly did feel like each of their bodies would begin to wilt up and die like a delicate flower. Their souls depended on the other to live.

* * *

Later that morning, after finally coming out of her dream like state Lucius had induced within her, Aria came down the grand staircase dressed cute yet professional, in her nice quality Burberry coat and form-fitting black slacks. Her hair was pulled back in a fashionable ponytail and she looked absolutely ready for a job such as the one she was headed to in Oxford. Lucius waited for her at the end of the stairs, looking at her as she walked down thinking how gorgeous she looked (as usual). She had packed an overnight bag just incase she ended up working late and staying over at her provided accommodations at the school, but she also of course made sure to pack her Floo powder just incase her room came with a fireplace she would be able to easily access and use to come back home.

"Must I send you off?" Lucius said as his lips turned down in genuine sadness.

"You must my love…it'll be my last big project before the big day," she said as she stood up on tiptoes to better look him in the eye and lean her forehead against his.

Lucius briefly didn't understand what she meant, but realized that of course she meant the wedding! It was indeed March 1st today…almost Spring…their wedding was soon. His heart beat a bit faster and his stomach turned over in anticipation and he finally smiled for her. The thought instantly cheered him up, as she knew it would.

She felt Lucius put one of his large hands behind her neck and bring her in for an intense kiss that left her breathless, as he grabbed her ponytail in his hand. The grip on her hair was tight and her core ached at his little shows of possessiveness he displayed. "Come back to me soon…" he crooned lowly into her ear, his grip on her still tight.

"Yes sir," she chuckled a bit breathlessly as she felt him release her finally at her promise.

Aria reached down to pick up her bags and stepped into the huge fireplace that was situated to the left of the grand entry way. She reached into her pocket to grab the Floo powder she had placed there and then looked over at Lucius, one more time before she transported herself.

  
"Good luck my love," he said tenderly as he put one of his arms against the top of the fireplace as he leaned towards her, the pose making him look like some male model of fireplaces.

Aria smiled at the gorgeous sight of him and said, "Thank you Lucius. I will be back home to you soon," before she loudly stated "Jericho Tavern" as she threw the Floo powder around her. In a flash of green, she was off!

* * *

She landed in the Wizarding pub, The Jericho Tavern. Her contacts at the Ministry, who she had been liaising with, had told her that the Tavern was a safe Floo location; that wizards and witches often used the place as a means of transport from London to Oxford and back, and was the closest well-known, hidden magical location to the Bodleian Library.

A few colorful wizards eyed her upon her arrival, as she looked around the place. It wasn't what she expected a typical Oxford style pub to be, this place looked more like it was a bohemian hide-out, with wondrous colors and an eclectic sort of clientele. Aria gave the workers and customers an awkward smile before making her way out the door and into the bright streets of Oxford.

The sun shined down upon the cobbled streets and made the yellow-ish tan stone buildings of the city even more pronounced. Aria smiled, giddy with excitement. This was always a destination she had wanted to go to…this town of so much history and so much academic excellence; Oxford truly was one of her dream places to visit and she couldn't believe she not only had a chance to visit, but a chance to work there…to make a difference. She knew a bit where she was going actually, surprising herself. She had done so much research on the city and had seen it in so many photos of dream trips she had planned when she was younger that the second she turned onto Broad Street, Aria's face broke out into the biggest grin. She was almost there, she knew immediately, when she saw the iconic circular building, The Radcliffe Camera, just across the way from the South Entrance of the library.

Aria couldn't help it. She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her coat and snapped a few photos. She felt slight shame in acting so touristy, but she had always dreamed of this moment and she wanted to send a few photos to her parents, who did in fact use cellphones. In America, Los Angeles especially, muggle cellphones were an accepted form of communication a lot more than it was here in England. While Aria had of course gotten used to primarily only using owl during her time in the UK, muggle cellphones were still a great way to take a few quick photos, as opposed to the giant, clunky magical cameras that developed the moving photos one would see in Wizard newspapers or homes.  
She went into the south facing courtyard of the library and snapped a few more photos discretely and then made her way around the massive, centuries-old building as she looked for the front entrance. At last she came upon the impressive main doors of the library, which looked like they were straight out of a medieval castle, as they were two giant wooden doors with the various Oxford colleges coat of arms engraved into it. Aria traced the door lightly with her fingertips, feeling the history buzz through her. She smiled and shuddered at the thrill of it and opened the doors to step into one of the world's most impressive libraries.

The instant she stepped in, it was like taking a step back in history…without the use of a Time Turner! Aria smiled and breathed in the scent of old books and centuries of history. 'If history had a smell…this would be it…." mused Aria to herself as she laughed at the funny thought. Despite being rather distracted, Aria realized she wasn't too sure what to do next…she saw the large information area, with some helpful looking people working, but she wasn't too sure who knew about the magically hidden Wizarding section of this library and who didn't. Well there was no harm in asking if they knew they names of her contacts she was supposed to meet. She could ask the people working at information if they knew her contacts, and if not, no worries…she would figure something else out. Worth a try.  
She approached a kind looking older woman who stood behind the desk, filing away little information cards.

"Excuse me?" Aria said politely, smiling down at the woman.

"Hello dear. Do you need any help?" Replied the old woman, giving Aria a brief smile; most likely thinking she was a student. Aria definitely looked the proper age to be a new Oxford college attendee.

"Yes please," Aria said as she pulled out a piece of paper from her coat pocket which had the names of her contacts she would be working with on this project; representatives from the Wizarding part of Oxford College, and more specifically this library. "I am looking to meet with my colleagues, Sebastian Hadriana and Valeria Amesley. Do you know them? Where I might find them?"

"Seb and Val?! Oh yes of course, just spoke with them this morning. They are expecting you!" The woman replied enthusiastically. Aria breathed out a sigh of relief that she was able to receive such quick help and didn't have to worry about how she would find her meeting place.

"Oh excellent!" Aria said genuinely.

"Wait here for me dear," said the stout woman as she walked quickly away towards the left and into the depths of the library.

Aria waited a few minutes, simply taking it all in. The endless amounts of books, the incredible architecture. It reminded her a lot of the Hogwarts library in fact, and she truly felt at home in such a predominantly muggle type place. Aria was simply entranced.  
Breaking her trance, Aria heard the clacking heels of the stout woman coming back, and Aria turned around to greet her new colleagues. The first thing she noticed was that the two people were younger than she thought they would be, although still older than her…most people were…, and that they seemed just as interested in her as she was in them.

The woman, Valeria, was a friendly looking woman with curly brown hair, pretty olive skin and kind eyes. The man was rather striking, as he had bright and large blue eyes, and hair as black as the night. There was something about him that intrigued Aria, but slightly intimidated her; almost like how she felt when she met Lucius that very first day in the Ministry all those months ago.  
Like most people did when they saw her, they looked her up and down, clearly noticing her beauty, but at least they were friendly in their demeanor. Aria often got the vibe that people she just met tended to be wary or even intimidated themselves by her looks. Now knowing that she was part Veela, it made more sense to her than it did before she realized she had that type of magical blood within her. She also had to remember that she was often in the Wizarding papers and press nowadays because of her connection and relationship to Lucius, as well as her now-famed battle with Narcissa.

"It's the witch of the hour!" Laughed Valeria, as she reached her hand out to shake Aria's.

Aria flushed a bit. So they had heard of her…of course. Hopefully they thought of her as a smart, capable witch and not basing their opinions of her on some of the stories they had most likely read about her in the rag magazines of the Wizarding World.  
"Indeed it is," said Sebastian as he reached his hand out as well and shook hers. His grasp was tight and lingered a bit, as his large blue eyes seemed to take her all in at once.

"Hi…" Aria flushed a bit as she shook their hands and smiled timidly. "I'm really excited to be here. It is a dream come true…honestly," she said as her blush faded.

"We heard you were the best of the best," Sebastian said as he ran his fingers through his hair, unconsciously.

"Well that's a relief," Aria laughed breathlessly yet relieved. The other two laughed along with her.

"Come," said Sebastian, as he cocked his head to the left, indicating he wanted them to move to a quieter space. "Thank you Mrs. Liara," Sebastian said politely to the kind, muggle library worker who had helped Aria find them.

"Oh, you're welcome Seb!" Replied Mrs. Liara giddily. It seemed Sebastian was rather the charmer, and Aria could certainly tell why. He greatly reminded her of Lucius, and she wasn't sure how that made her feel yet. She could immediately tell though, that despite the similarities she instantly noticed between Sebastian and Lucius, she somehow instantly knew Lucius had a refined romanticism that Sebastian did not, regardless of his charming looks and personality.

After the pleasantries ended, Aria followed Seb and Val to the left and down a long hall of endless books, shelves and smaller alcoves. Several doors, The Lower Reading Rooms, lined the downstairs area where students could read, study and research in. Aria smiled to herself, loving the academia vibe and the young, and old, scholars all researching about their passions. At the end of the hall, Seb made an abrupt left, and the three of them faced an alcove which contained one smaller green bookshelf. Compared to the other grand bookshelves of the library this one seemed definitely out of place, and Aria wondered why she had been led here.

"This is the entrance to the Wizarding section of the library," Seb said as he indicated to the small green bookshelf. "We have to be very discrete of course…the muggles obviously don't know there is a whole other realm within their own reality here at the Bodleian. Mrs. Liara doesn't even know!" Seb laughed. "She thinks Val and I are assistant professors here at one of the colleges." Val chuckled to herself as Seb described the situation.

"I was wondering that," Aria replied with a smirk on her face. "How does one enter?" She asked, staring at the bookshelf, still confused on how it all worked.

"All you have to do is walk confidently straight through the bookshelf, and you're in!" Val said, as if it was obvious. Val took in Aria's shocked look and seemed confused herself. "You know…just like at Platform 9 3/4!"

Aria still looked at the slightly older witch confused. "Platform what?"

"Oh! I forgot you didn't go to Hogwarts! I'm so sorry Aria!" Val said slightly embarrassed she had assumed.

"Val…do you not have ears? She is clearly American…" Seb said while rolling his eyes.

"Sorry Seb! Guess I'm just excited to get this project started…and over with!"

"Oh no, that doesn't sound good?" Aria said tentatively, as she heard Val's exasperated tone regarding the project.

"Well for us at least! It's why we called in a professional. We couldn't quite handle this large scale of a job without the proper historical expertise. It's why the Ministry sent you! We are sure someone who actually is passionate about history and artifacts will actually enjoy it!" Said Val reassuringly.

"Oh okay, thank goodness. I was beginning to get a bit worried," flushed Aria again, her nerves waxing and waning with each passing moment.

"We can explain more to you once we are inside," said Seb a bit impatiently. "Shall we?"

"Of course. After you…" Aria suggested, wanting to see how Seb and Val entered the magical barrier.

Without saying another word Seb walked confidently into the bookcase. Aria flinched waiting for him to crash into it, but instead he vanished, almost as if the wall absorbed him. Aria stared with wide eyes. She truly had never seen this type of magic, even in her own Wizarding America. Even with her newfound wandless magic powers, that most witches could only dream to possess, she had still never seen magic like this.

"The barrier senses your magic…it knows you are a magical person and so it knows to let you pass through," Val said as she looked at Aria's wide eyes. "It's painless. You don't need to worry love," she said with a kind smile. Val then turned around and walked through the bookcase as well.

Aria was the only one left now, and she breathed in deeply before she shook her body a bit, shaking out the nerves, and walked straight through. She felt a brief moment of what felt like cold air, and she was through. She blinked a few times getting used to her new surroundings and she smiled with wonder as she looked around.

Seb and Val smiled at the new-comer, loving her reaction to the Wizarding realm of the Bodleian. It looked much the same as the muggle side, however everything seemed to be bathed in a mystical blue aura, as the ceiling above was charmed to be the color of a deep blue night sky with thousands of tiny silver stars and constellations scattered about. It was incredibly stunning. Books whizzed around them, either being summoned or rearranging themselves, Aria knew not which, but suspected both could be possible reasons. The people sitting at desks and wandering about were definitely all witches and wizards as they wore their traditional cloaks and openly carried their wands and other magical instruments for various purposes.

"It's incredible…"Aria said breathlessly.

Val and Seb smiled at Aria, enjoying her being in awe of their special library. After a few more seconds of allowing her to marvel in silence, they began to lead her down the main hall for a few feet and turned left into an alcove that had a small winding staircase heading up to the second floor.

"What we need your help with, is up here, in the ancient wizarding historical text and manuscript area," said Val as she began leading them up the winding staircase.

Aria came up to the second floor landing where she was in a decent sized room that had a low ceiling and seemed to have the air of a place of ancient magic. Three of the walls were literally nothing but bookshelves, while the east facing wall was where three giant windows were, as they shined the brilliant afternoon sun into the room, causing dust motes and light flares to reflect all around the room in brilliant rainbow shades. Aria saw why Val and Seb needed her help immediately. The bookshelves were horribly unorganized and books lay on desks, and even all over the floor in hectic stacks.

Seb scratched behind his neck a bit, almost as if he was embarrassed to have shown Aria their mess they had on their hands. "You see…Val and I tried to reorganize these texts and manuscripts but we aren't historical minded Wizards, we tend to focus more on the present…and well a lot of these are in other languages, most being French and Latin…"

Aria nodded her head. She understood….history wasn't for everyone and she could see that if it wasn't someone's passion how it could get rather tedious and difficult, but she still had a few questions for the duo.

"What are your jobs here at the library exactly?" Aria asked, trying not to make the question sound rude.

"Technically the little white lie we tell to the muggles here at the Bodleian, that we are assistant professors, isn't actually a lie, we really are!" Seb began. "We do teach various courses here at the library for the academically-inclined witches and wizards…magical folks from all over the world come here to the Bodleian to continue their education after their normal school years. We also act as ambassadors to the library, making sure the library has the most modern magical needs and accessibilities. As much as you focus on the past, we focus on the present and future for this library…how we can make it the most modern and functional for the hundreds of magical folk who come visit us daily."

"I see," said Aria as she smiled at the two. "Well I would certainly be happy to help you guys with the 'past' part of this library," she said as she looked at the piles of things waiting for her attention.

"Thanks Aria…really…this collaboration with the Ministry and yourself really is a life-saver," Val sighed."Seb and I tried to organize the piles of mess into….well…less unorganized before you arrived," she laughed.

Seb laughed with Val and pointed at the various piles on the floor and the desks. "Those over there are the manuscripts and texts in Latin," he said pointing to the right. "The ones over there are English and French…" he said running his fingers through his hair. "The rest…well…the rest is how you feel is best to organize them. Unfortunately we hadn't organized the history timelines yet or the subject matter…we will leave that in your capable hands," Seb smirked.

To be honest, although they had tried to help, separating them into languages was the absolute easiest part. The parts they left for her were the most difficult. However, the good part was, that it would be completely up to her on how she wanted to archive all of these historical texts. That was a good thing; she could make he decisions and wouldn't have to follow any certain rules or instructions it seemed. They really just wanted this place organized and usable for people to be able to find the texts that they needed.

"Sounds good!" Aria said as she set her bags down on one of the tables. She didn't realize until now how sore her shoulders were from carrying her two bags the entire time.  
"Well Aria…we will let you get settled in and leave you to it! Thank you so much again for coming to help us…you are saving us big time!" Said Val genuinely

Aria smiled at the two, and took off her heavy coat as well, ready to tuck in and get to work.

She caught Seb lingering, while Val had already began making her way towards the spiral staircase to head out. Not seeming to realize he was staring, Seb ran his fingers through his hair as Aria took her coat off; she wore a black knit shirt and paired with her form fitting black slacks, she really did look rather sleek, her body highlighted nicely, and she realized Seb must have liked what he saw. She immediately felt self-conscious and cleared her throat a bit. Seb seemed to snap out of his trance of her and cleared his throat as well. "Oh um, Val and I will be headed to the pub at around 5:30 this evening if you want to join us. The Jericho Tavern…" he said as he cleared his throat once more and began making his way out as well.

"Oh ya..I know the place…ummm sure…count me in," smiled Aria politely. She still didn't know what to make of Seb. He seemed charming and nice enough but he definitely wasn't as subtle and refined as Lucius was personality-wise, and she had felt a bit awkward when he stared at her so hungrily just moments before. Val was a kind soul though, and she would be there so she felt more comfortable with that.

It took Aria literally all afternoon and into the early evening to really get things properly organized into legible stacks. She had decided to of course organize all of the texts by language, but within each language they would also be organized by date and type of history. This would make archiving them into the shelves easier, and it would make the future academics who needed such books to be able to find things incredibly easy. She had organized most of the stacks today, but still had a bit more to go. It had been rather warm in the room, as she was higher up and the brilliant sun continued to pour into the room all day from the huge glass windows. A sheen of sweat shown on her forehead and while she was grateful to have worn her hair up, she would definitely need to not wear a heavy knit outfit the next day. Perhaps it was the heat, the lack of water, or the fact that she had been breathing in dusty, ancient texts all day, but Aria had been aware that she had been feeling an odd buzzing sensation all day, and felt like she heard a low-level whispering all day as well. She had ignored it at first…but the more the day went on the more noticeable it was to her.

Aria shook her head, trying to clear her mind, and decided she had done enough work for her first day, and that she would begin making her way back to the pub to join Seb and Val. She already felt 5 degrees cooler the second she made her way down into the main floor of the library and felt even more relief when she made her way outside, into the cool evening air. She breathed in a big gulp of breath, and her mind felt instantly more clear; the buzzing and whispering gone.

* * *

She enjoyed a few pints of local beer with Seb and Val. She told them of her progress in the organization and they agreed that her method of archiving seemed the best for not only her sanity but for the future of the library as well. She was glad they were all on the same page. She chose not to tell them of the weird buzzing feeling she had all day, she still wasn't sure herself if that was from dehydration or if it was something magical calling out to her; and if it was…was it a warning or something good?

Aria was beginning to feel more relaxed with the beer flowing through her system, and apparently so did her colleagues as they began asking her more about her personal life and about all the tabloids they had read about her.

"So Aria…I gotta admit…I have read and seen so much about you from all of the papers and magazines," smiled Val. "You are the talk of the entire British Wizarding World."

"Ugh I know…" sighed out Aria as she put down her pint of beer and buried her face in her hands. After a few seconds she gave a tentative look at the pair. "Please don't tell me you believe half of the stuff they write about me?"

"Well why don't you tell us?" Seb chimed in as he leaned forward with a curious and provoking expression on his face.

Aria flushed a bit, being put on the spot. "Well there is really nothing that outlandish to tell…I haven't turned into a Phoenix or put my fiancé under a love spell if that is what you are wondering," said Aria defensively. This was the first time she had really ever talked to anyone about the tabloids about herself. Her and Lucius tended to ignore this subject.

"So he is still your fiancé then?" Seb asked as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. Aria realized this was a very regular nervous tick he had, despite his exuded air of self-confidence.

"Oh yes of course he is," Aria said dreamily as she thought of her Lucius.

"When is the big day?" Asked Val excitedly as Seb took another sip of his drink, uninterested.

"This first of May," Aria said dreamily again, as she thought of her upcoming wedding. They wanted it to be on a significantly magical day so that their powers and their connection would be at its greatest, so they chose Beltane, a magically important day in Spring, in which their soul mate bond would flourish.

"Aren't you a bit young to get married?" Seb asked bluntly.

"Seb!" Val said shocked at his rudeness.

Aria's eyes opened wide at his question, but she wasn't ashamed. Nothing concerning Lucius, and her love with him was anything to be ashamed about.

"No," she said firmly. "We are soul mates….it can't come soon enough, actually."

"So that part of your story is true then? The story from Malfoy's trial at the Ministry when you two claimed you were the Veela soulmates from our history?" Seb asked.

"It isn't a claim. It's the truth," Aria said piercing Seb with her brilliant green eyes.

Seb looked deeply into her gaze, and then blinked a few times fast and looked away down into his beer, as he ran his hand through his hair again. "Hmmph," was all he said.

Aria drank the last bits of her drink awkwardly and then looked over into the fireplace where she had Floo powdered in this morning. Her heart instantly yearned for Lucius and she knew there was no way she wasn't going to go back home to the Manor tonight. Oh Lucius would be so happy. She smiled to herself and got up from her seat. "I think I am going to head home guys," Aria said as she put her coat on and grabbed her bags.

Aria was surprised when Seb spoke first, sounding slightly surprised himself. "Are you sure? We have a room for you to stay here. We can walk you there now, if you'd like."

"No thanks," Aria said firmly. "Perhaps another night, but for now I just want my Lucius."

Seb didn't say anymore, but Val followed Aria over to the fireplace. "Hey Aria, hope Seb didn't offend you….he's a nice guy, but I think sometimes he gets unconsciously jealous if he can't get a chance at a girl he fancies."

"Fancies?" Laughed Aria at what Val had just said. "But he doesn't even know me! We just met today!"

"Well you are clearly stunningly beautiful…anyone can see that," said Val, making Aria blush and look down in humbleness. "But we can both also clearly see you are extremely intelligent. A rare combination. I don't blame him for being interested," she laughed.

Aria laughed it a bit off as well. "Umm…well I am flattered, really. I am used to men acting all sorts of things around me though….so it's nothing new I suppose," Aria admitted. It was true. Men always admired her beauty and she always experienced so many men acting differently towards her whether it was aggressive, flirtatious or intimidated. She supposed Seb's behavior was normal. The only other man who had been different, had of course been Lucius, and she needed to be with him now.

"Well goodnight Val. See you tomorrow perhaps?" Aria said politely as she stepped into the fireplace.

"Goodnight Aria," Val smiled kindly.

Aria reached into her pocket for the remaining Floo powder and said "Malfoy Manor" before she was off in a flash of green.

* * *

Aria landed herself firmly back in the huge fireplace in the entry way of her home and felt instantly better as she could feel the Manor welcoming her back. She saw a light on upstairs, coming from Lucius' office. She dropped her bags next to the fireplace as she stepped out and ran upstairs excited to see her love. As she entered the doorway of Lucius' small yet cozy office, she saw his broad back turned to her, as he looked out the window clearly in deep thought as he sipped a glass of Firewhisky.

Lucius must have seen her in the window's reflection, and he quickly turned around and sighed out a breath of relief, as if he hadn't seen her in months.

"Aria! You came home tonight! I was just thinking of you," He said as he put his glass down on his desk and walked over to her with wide, long strides. He engulfed her in his strong and warm embrace and buried his face into her neck and breathed her in with delight.

"I missed you," she said as she returned his tender embrace.

"Come, tell me about your day my love," he said as he took her by the hand and walked them to the library the next room over. With a snap of his fingers, he had a roaring fire started and he sat them down on their favorite red velvet couch.

Aria held his hand and told him about her day, and even showed him some of the photos on her phone that she took. She told her about the wondrous Bodleian as well as her two colleagues Val and Seb.

"Val is really kind and nice. She reminds me a lot of Pepper; very genuine and fun. Seb on the other hand was interesting…he reminded me a lot of you actually…well, in some aspects," Aria said.

Lucius raised his brow in question. "How so?" He drawled.

"He is very confident…and intense…he is sure of himself…but he is not as refined and elegant as you. No one is though, so that's to be expected."

"What about his looks? Is he as dazzling as me?" Lucius said with a smirk.

"I suppose some witches would find him attractive…but I don't think of anyone else in that way except for you," she admitted truthfully. "Like you once told me…the thought of being with anyone else is slightly nauseating."

Lucius didn't say anything but pulled her gently by the arm so that she moved to be cuddled up into him, her back resting on his firm chest as he held her from behind like a big spoon.

"Val told me before I left that he fancies me…" Aria admitted, then instantly regretting blurting that out as she felt Lucius tense and then tighten his grip around her. A sure-tell sign his possessive side was about to come out in full force.

"Do I need to escort you to work every day?" Lucius asked seriously, his voice low and gravely in her ear. The sound of it made her shudder. "I will escort you if I must. I will not tolerate someone lusting after what is _mine_ ," he warned.

Aria should have been slightly offended that he claimed her as his own, like property, but she really and truly did love it, and it made her skin prickle with delight and arousal for her possessive wizard.

"I think I should be okay. Don't worry my love," she said breathily.

"It isn't you I am worried about," he said deeply.

"Well you trained me in wandless magic. I am more powerful than either of them, I am sure of it. I won't let anyone touch me or do anything to me. I am yours…body, mind and soul," Lucius lessened his tight grip on her, and kissed the top of her head. She could have sworn she heard a very slight growl in his chest of anger, but couldn't be sure.

"There's something else," she said, wanting to tell him about the buzzing feel and noise she had felt earlier. He tightened his grip on her again, thinking Seb might have done something.

"It's nothing bad…at least I don't think so," she said tentatively.

"What is it Aria?" He said, his voice urgent and concerned.

"Well when I was working today, I kept feeling this magical buzzing sensation…and I thought that I heard this weird whispering noise….it was really hot in the room however and I was really thirsty. Maybe I was hallucinating? It almost reminded me of how I feel whenever we make love in the stone circles, which is why I wasn't scared of it instantly…" She wondered aloud.

"Hmmm…"Lucius said as he thought about what Aria had just told him. "It doesn't seem overly nefarious…but see if you feel and hear it tomorrow."

Aria nodded her head a bit and then the two of them sat in silence, listening to the crackling of the fire and delighting in each other's presence and warmth. Soon Aria was yawning, and really felt the laborious work she had done throughout the day, as her body began to ache as it relaxed more and more.

Almost as if knowing exactly what she was feeling, she felt Lucius begin to stir underneath her and he had somehow managed to simultaneously stand and pick her up in his arms at the same time. "It's time for bed…but before that, how about I give your tired and spent body a rub-down?" He drawled seductively into her ear.

"Mmmm," was all she said as she wrapped her hands around his neck and shoulders and leaned into him, as he carried her off to their bedroom for a night of bliss.


	40. Being a Veela in Love

**Please review :)**

* * *

Aria woke up the next morning feeling so much better than she had the night before. Lucius had served her body amazingly by giving her sore limbs, back and feet a complete rub down; followed by some rubbing of more intimate areas, which resulted in the two of them enjoying a passionate coupling which then resulted in some mind blowing orgasms that both of them desperately craved. Aria was already exhausted, but Lucius had thoughtfully used a wandless Accio spell to summon her some Dreamless Sleep Potion that they had in the medical cupboard in the large kitchens of the Manor.

The light from the sun had woken her and she stretched her body against Lucius' own nude form and peppered light kisses all over his back as she held him from behind. She was grateful that the warm sun and her internal clock had woken her, since she had forgotten to set an alarm after the Dreamless Sleep Potion rendered her practically unconscious. She would sadly have to leave soon to head to Oxford for her second day of work on the archival project.

Lucius moaned in his dreamy state as her kisses awakened his body. Although he had not taken any potion to fall asleep, just knowing that his woman was there with him for the night and the pleasure she had given him during their lovemaking had caused him to also have a night of blissful sleep, and he wasn't all too keen on waking up just yet…. however he continued to let Aria kiss him awake…there were worse ways of waking up after all.

"I must get up my love…gotta head to Oxford soon," Aria whispered in his ear gently, as she lulled him more and more out of sleep.

Lucius finally fluttered his grey eyes open and replied, "Well then…we must get you something to eat before you go."

"I can just grab a coffee," she replied back.

"No," he said firmly before flipping to his other side so he could face her and pull her into his warm chest and body. "You are having a proper breakfast."

Aria smiled to herself. Lucius always made sure to take care of her, even if she truly didn't need it. The thing that was always true about Lucius' personality, something that was true even before he met Aria, was that if he cared for someone…he _really_ cared for them. He was a devoted father to Draco, and he knew with their babies he would be just as caring and hands on. It was one of the parts of him that she loved the most, so of course she couldn't deny him when all he wanted to do was take care of her.

So after cuddling up with each other for a few more minutes, as they both became fully awake, Lucius and Aria enjoyed a delicious breakfast of porridge with various fruits, sugars and creams that the house elves had prepared for them in the grand dining room where the lovers always took their meals together. As Aria finished off the last of her breakfast, she had to admit she was glad she decided to stay for a real breakfast with Lucius, and get some proper food in her today. She had been slightly neglectful of her food and water intake during work yesterday and she hadn't felt all too good after as a result of that. Perhaps if she ate and drank properly today, she wouldn't experience that weird buzzing sensation that she did yesterday. Not that the feeling was truly the most unpleasant thing, it was just distracting…and made her feel like her skin was all tingly and on edge.

"Thank you for convincing me to stay for breakfast my love. I am going to go to the kitchen and pack a lunch to go and then I am going to get ready," she sighed and smiled as she got up from her seat and stood next to Lucius, his head at her breast level from where he sat. His eyes darted down to where the peak of her nipples could be seen under the silver satin of her robe, and he was mesmerized.

He reached his right hand up to rub his thumb over her nipples, causing them to harden even more under the soft fabric of the robe. The friction felt divine and she briefly let her head fall back as she reveled in his touches as mewls of delight escaped her throat. She then heard Lucius utter a low groan of approval himself.

"You better leave the room now my witch, I'm becoming tempted to take you here and now," he warned her with a low, seductive voice as his fingers pinched one of her nipples in warning.

With a squeak and a giggle, Aria escaped his grasp and went to go pack herself a quick lunch and to change.

About half an hour later she came back into the grand dining room, her packed bags ready to go. She had dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a beautiful, flowy, white top and she had put her hair up again into a stylish ponytail. She would be a lot more cooler while she worked today and she felt more ready than ever to continue her work at the Bodleian. Lucius stood up from where he sat, appraising his woman with a satisfied look. He took her into his strong arms and brought her in for a lip crushing kiss, as one of his hands held her behind her neck and the other held her bottom as he gave it a slight squeeze.

"Will I see you tonight my love?" He asked hopefully.

"I hope so," she said as she rested her head against his chest, allowing him to hold her in his grasp for a few more moments. "Lucius?" She asked innocently, knowing that what she was about to say he wouldn't enjoy all too much.

"Yes?" He answered back as his hand raked through her hair deliciously.

"Keep your cellphone on for me? If I need you it is the easiest way. I don't know if I have access to any owls," she said, waiting for him to protest. He abhorred cellphones, and although he had one, he never used it, except for the one time she had been in Scotland on her first work trip.

"As you wish," he sighed. He would have refused, but he did have to admit it was the easiest way of speaking to her immediately. She would have a hard time Flooing back and forth between Oxford and the Manor anytime they wanted to speak, while she was away.

"Well that was easy," she said with delight as she looked up into his handsome face.

"I only ever am for you," he smirked. "Until I see you again then…" he said huskily as he placed another romantic kiss on her lips.

Aria smiled dreamily up at her powerful wizard before she turned around and stepped into the large fireplace of the dining room. Lucius held out the Floo Powder pot for her so she could grab a handful and with one last dreamy look at each other, Aria said "Jericho Tavern" clearly before she was off in a flash of green flame.

Aria arrived in the tavern, and felt complete confidence. She knew where she was going, what she was doing and she was excited about what the day held. As she made her way along the cobbled, sunny streets of the magical city she smiled to herself and breathed in the fresh air until she eventually made her way up to the ancient doors of the library. She was still just as giddy as she was the day before to be in such a place of amazing history; a place she had only dreamed about coming before this job. Stepping into the library seemed like second nature now, as she walked directly towards the entrance to the Wizarding section like she had been doing it all of her life.

Soon enough she was in the mystically blue-lit Wizarding realm, and she couldn't help but laugh a bit in wonder as books zoomed passed her head, and all sorts of interesting wizards, witches and even some creatures went about their business in their various academic specialities. Aria smiled at everyone she passed and she was greeted back with plenty of kind smiles as well. She really did feel right at home and it made her heart swell with happiness that she truly felt like she belonged here. Even if it wasn't for Lucius, and their unbreakable love for each other, she knew that the UK was her new home. She loved California, but it didn't have that feeling that she got from her time here; a feeling of true magic, of true history and of true home.

Aria made her way up the winding staircase onto the second floor of her designated area that she was helping to archive and felt a bit better about the messy situation than she did yesterday. She was proud of herself that she had accomplished so much organization yesterday as it would greatly help her when she began to re-shelve and organize all of the assorted texts and scrolls. She still had a few more scattered piles to sort through, to organize them into languages, dates and historical context, and so she set to work on the tedious task that she had done the day before of organizing the remaining mess.

She hadn't noticed it too much when she had first entered the room but about an hour into her working on the stacks of books, the buzzing sensation had returned and the air around her seemed to be electrified with the very slight whispering she thought she had sensed from the day before. With a furrow in her brow, she grabbed her water bottle she brought with her and took a big sip to try and hydrate herself. Aria stopped moving around just to simply listen and feel, as she sipped gently at the water still. Hmmm…no…she definitely wasn't imaging things or getting too dehydrated and faint. There really was a slight buzzing all around her that sank into her very bones and soul. Again, Aria didn't feel all too threatened, but she greatly wished she could have Lucius come here and see what he felt. He was always so wise and intuitive and she knew that if she really felt something going on, he would as well, as their bodies were always on the same wavelength.

After a few more hours of working and trying to ignore the weird buzzing sensations, Aria had decided that she needed a break. It was around lunchtime and she had noticed the last two days that on her way to the Bodleian she had passed by a beautiful botanical garden about half a mile away. That would be a lovely spot to enjoy her lunch she packed for herself, and if she was honest, it would do her some good to get out of the magically charged room and clear her mind for a bit.

With one more stack of random books to go, Aria grabbed her bag and headed down the spiral staircase and then all the way out of the library. Like the night before, the second she left the room she felt a weight being lifted off, as if a misty haze was lifted away. It truly was one of the most odd feelings she had ever experienced. She walked for a bit, and eventually came upon the gorgeous and green park that was also the location of Oxford's brilliant botanical garden and arboretum.

She walked around the sprawling gardens for about half an hour, enjoying the stunning plant life and perfectly manicured flower beds. She even came across an enormous greenhouse that seemed to house many different types of plants not currently on display, but all the more exotic looking. Under an ancient looking rowan tree, Aria sat to enjoy her lunch and relax a bit. She wished Lucius was there to share this peaceful moment with her in such a beautiful space, which then made her remember that she had told him to keep his phone nearby should she need him. She quickly pulled out her own phone and texted him.

_My love,_   
_Will you be able to meet me at The Bodleian tonight? I still feel that strange buzzing feeling…and it is only getting more powerful by the hour. Meet me at the Jericho Tavern at 9pm? It will be best to come when everyone is gone from the library for the night._

_I love you madly._

_Xoxo_   
_Aria_

Aria put her phone away and finished her lunch, enjoying the quiet stillness of the park around her. After she was finished she lay in the soft grass for a bit enjoying the early Spring sun that warmed her body against the crisp air. One thing she did miss about California was the constant sun, so little moments like this made her soul very happy to soak up the precious vitamin D from the sun's rays. Aria felt her phone chime and knew it was her Lucius; she still couldn't help but always smirk at the thought of her traditional aristocrat using the muggle device.

_Of course I will be there my love. Until then._

_Yours,_   
_Lucius_

Aria smiled at her phone, imagining Lucius' honeyed voice saying those words to her in person. She stood up from where she lay in the grass and began making her way back to the Bodleian to continue her work again. On her way back, she ran into Val and Seb, both of them looking as if they had just been on their break as well. Aria smiled to herself thinking that they both looked completely like they belonged here, dressed both preppy and academic-like, perfect for Oxford, although Seb stood out a bit as he had a wizarding cloak draped over his shoulders. Muggles here wouldn't notice though, as his cloak looked like it could pass off as a large trench coat, perfectly fitting for a proper English gentleman.

Val caught Aria's eye first and the kind woman waved friendly over in Aria's direction. Seb gave Aria a warm smile as well which made Aria breath out a sigh of relief. For whatever reason, her relationship with Seb, although it had been good natured, was a bit tense so far. From what Val had said, perhaps it was Aria's beauty and brains that intrigued and slightly intimidated Seb, making him feel he had to show off for his own reasons.

"Aria, hey!" Val said as Aria crossed the street to join the two. "Just getting off your lunch break?"

"Ya! Headed back now. Almost done organizing everything…and then the real work begins."

"Next time you should let us know when you are going on break! We would have joined you!" Val insisted.

"Oh I don't mind being on my own. Really. I had a lovely time just sitting and enjoying myself at the Botanical Garden," Aria smiled. "Also if I am to be honest, I have no way of getting in contact with you guys. I know it is silly to ask, but do you two happen to have cellphones?"

"'Course we do!" Said Seb as he reached into his pocket to pull out his iPhone.

Aria smiled and laughed aloud. They were younger, and lived in a predominantly muggle area. Of course they did.

"Oh thank goodness. I am so used to my fiancé not believing in muggle items such as cellphones. He is quite old fashioned," she explained.

"Maybe he needs to get with the times…" mumbled Seb under his breath with a slight chuckle of sarcasticness.

"Seb!" Val said, scolding him for being rude about Lucius yet again.

"No, no it's fine," said Aria brushing it off. She agreed with Seb in this case, but he still had that slight attitude whenever she brought up Lucius. He might have not even realized he did it, but Aria, and clearly Val, noticed.

"Sorry Aria," he said briefly before giving his number to her rather quickly, Aria noted. Val followed though and gave Aria her number as well.

"There! Now next time call us if you ever need a break or wanna go grab some lunch, dinner, drinks, whatever you want!" Val said.

After walking a bit more down the bright streets of the city, Val announced that she had to go to her next class and it would be in the opposite direction that Seb and Aria were headed.

"Oh okay. See you later Val," Aria said before awkwardly turning to Seb. Aria hadn't been alone with the man before, but for whatever reason he still made her a tad bit nervous, and he seemed to feel slightly the same way about her as he ran his fingers through his hair awkwardly.

"I'll walk you to the Bod if you'd like…my next lecture is next door to it," he offered.

"Oh. Okay sure!" Said Aria as she began walking in the direction of the library.

"Hey look I really am sorry for giving you a hard time…Val told me I need to lay off. I can be a bit of a sarcastic bastard sometimes…nothing personal…"he admitted with a meek yet truthful smirk.

Aria's nerves subsided a bit as she listened to him explain a bit more about his personality traits.

"Oh…um it's okay…think nothing of it," Aria said politely. While his abrasiveness had slightly bothered her last night, it really was not a big deal and she hoped that they could now move on as colleagues normally.

"It's just I don't think I've met someone who I knew to be so instantly…" he stopped mid-sentence unsure of how to proceed.

"Yes?" Aria urged. She wanted to understand his perspective more.  
"Well… so smart and beautiful. Not often you find the two paired together so…perfectly," he said as he motioned with his hand in her direction. "And genuinely nice on top of it all!"

Aria laughed and blushed a bit. "I can assure you, I am not perfect!"

"Have you seen yourself?" Seb laughed nervously, as his blue eyes pierced into hers. She looked quickly away as he continued. "Well it's true right? That you are a Veela?"

Aria was a bit surprised that he had went in that direction, but she knew that Seb and Val had read all about her in the various papers and news stories. "Oh umm…yes I am. Or well…I definitely have strong Veela blood in me," she said. With a smirk and a laugh she continued, trying to make the conversation more light. "Perhaps that is why you are so falsely dazzled with me?"

Her comment made Seb blush even further, as it probably hit the nail on the head in terms of the truth, but he smirked as well. "Perhaps." Then becoming more serious he continued. "Is that why your Dark Wizard is so dazzled with you too?"

Aria furrowed her brow. It seemed although he was trying to act light hearted too, he really wanted to ask her more serious questions about herself and her relationship. She would be as open as she could, she had nothing to be ashamed of. "His name is Lucius and he isn't Dark…. And he isn't dazzled with me because I am part Veela. He is Veela too. We are soulmates. Our love is the most real thing that has ever existed for either of us."

"Wow," said Seb as he breathed out a big breath and raised his eyebrows, as if he still didn't believe it. "So the soulmate thing? It is real? You believe it is real?" He continued asking.

"Yes," she said definitively as she looked at him with bright green eyes, determined to make him understand the truth.

Seb shrugged his shoulders a bit, still seeming like he really didn't believe her.

"You live in one of the most historically rich cities in the world. A city full of ancient magic and philosophy. You're a wizard. You shouldn't discredit such magic," Aria said trying to make him see the truth.

Seb nodded in slight agreement. "Yes I suppose that's true. I have to admit I am just so fascinated by your story…fascinated by you…" he admitted, as he ran his fingers through his hair again.

Luckily Aria spotted the Bodleian coming up in the distance, and relieved they were almost at their destination. She knew Seb wasn't a bad person or someone who would do her harm such as Paolo did. But he also didn't do that good of a job of being discrete about his immediate fascination with her. Her old Ministry colleague James popped into her mind as well. He had been fascinated with her from the moment he met her, just like Seb was, but he had been a very polite and shy man and wasn't as direct as Seb was. Aria was quickly coming to realize this was a pattern that would possibly haunt her the rest of her life; men being magically and instantly drawn to her and slightly obsessed. Perhaps it really was the Veela part of her getting stronger and stronger.

Aria could just tell by his questions and the way he looked at her that he believed in his own heart that he meant well…he truly did want to know more about her. But she also definitely picked up on the fact that he would have liked to get to know her even more if Lucius hadn't been in the picture. He had literally called her perfect, and while she couldn't agree with him there, she could tell that he wished he had a chance to get to know her more and better. Perhaps if Aria had never met Lucius, she would be interested as well. He was an attractive man. A smart man. A man who valued academics and the Wizarding culture and history. But he would never be Lucius. No one would ever be Lucius. Aria couldn't even imagine a reality in which she wasn't fully and irrevocably in love with Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. Just the thought of it practically broke her heart. But she wouldn't blame Seb for being curious or interested in her, as long as it didn't turn into a Paolo situation. He would just need to understand that she loved Lucius more than anything, and nothing would come between her and her soulmate.

Aria said nothing but they continued walking the tiny rest of the way in a bit of an awkward silence. As they approached the large front doors of the Bodleian Aria turned to Seb and he to her. He gave her a small smile and looked down at the ground as he shuffled his feet.

"Well I'm off," Aria said with a small smile of her own as she made her way to enter the library.

"Right then. Good luck and….I'll see you soon," Seb said almost as if in a question. "I'll be down at the pub later…" he thew in at the end to let her know where he would be later on.

"Oh okay. I'm a bit busy after work tonight, but definitely soon. Val, you and I can all grab some drinks later in the week?" Aria suggested, making sure to include Val.

With a nod of his head and a last smile as he looked at her intently, Seb turned around to go to his destination across the street.

Aria breathed out a long breath that she had been holding, and made her way back into the comforts of the grand library. Making her way through the muggle section and then into the Wizarding section, the moment that she wound her way up the spiral staircase, Aria felt the tingling feeling and heard the low-pitched mystical whispers that she constantly heard and felt in the room.

" _What are you?!_ " She spoke aloud with wonder and frustration to the seemingly invisible magic that she felt pulsating all around.

Another hour passed and Aria was almost done organizing the last pile of books that needed to be sorted by language. The buzzing was getting louder and louder and this point, and Aria was getting more and more frustrated, worried that if she didn't figure out what this sensation and noise was soon, she would be unable to complete her assignment. She wasn't one for giving up though, and so the thought of something unknown causing her to fail didn't sit well with her.

The last remaining books were left and Aria saw the next book needing to be sorted was a relatively small, faded leather bound book with gilded Celtic-like engravings on on all sides. The instant that Aria's hand reached for the book and held it in her hands, the buzzing sensation and the whispering noises completely stopped. Aria noticed the difference right away and let out a small gasp as she realized this was the culprit the entire time. This seemingly unimportant, small book that had been in the far corner of the room.

"What in the world…?" Aria mumbled to herself.

She opened the book slowly, as if scared at what it would contain inside. However, when she opened it, the pages were all completely blank. The parchment was faded and very frail, as if it was hundreds of years old, however there was nothing on any of the pages as Aria delicately flipped through the small book. This couldn't be right. Perhaps there was some magic keeping the pages blank. But why? The book had been calling out to her, surely it wanted her to see something within its pages. Or maybe the whole thing was some weird prank; lure someone in only to disappoint them with the discovery of nothing? Either way, the whole situation was entirely bizarre and she really couldn't wait to be done with her day now so that her and Lucius could investigate this weird phenomena.

Aria kept the small book close to her for the remainder of her work day, so that she wouldn't hear the incessant buzzing and whooshing noises that it emanated whenever she wasn't physically near it.

"Don't worry little book…I am going to figure out why you wanted my attention so bad…" Aria muttered to herself as she began the real archival work.

Now that all of the stacks were sorted out by language and historical context, she could begin documenting what was present in the collection. There were large, fresh parchment scrolls available for her use on one of the large tables in the area of the library in which she occupied and she began documenting the texts onto the paper so that there would be a clean record, starting with all of the English language books; why not start easy!

She only spent an hour or two as she started the tedious task of documenting and then putting each individual book into its proper place in the shelves. She could see how this task would take the most time for this project, but it was something that was important and needed to be done and she was happy to take on the tiresome work because she was truly passionate about it. However the bright light that shone through the windows was beginning to fade as the sun set. Lucius wouldn't be there for about another three hours so Aria knew she had time to go grab dinner and relax for a bit. She didn't feel like eating at The Jericho Tavern again, deciding that she wanted to have the chance to explore a bit more of the city and so she went to the popular muggle pub, The Eagle and Child, where famed authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to go to drink and write and interact with their fellow scholars.

Aria arrived at the classic looking pub and delighted in how typically British it all felt, and she felt right at home as many people around her same age were socializing, eating and drinking and the place just overall had a good vibe. Aria ordered a light beer and a hearty meal of bangers and mash and enjoyed feeling like a typical tourist for the evening, feeling that giddy excitement of being in a place she had dreamed of for so long. She ate her meal contentedly and then scrolled on her phone for a bit. She looked so beyond muggle, no one would ever know that she was an extremely powerful and gifted young witch.

At around 8:30, Aria decided it was time to head over to Jericho Tavern to await her Lucius. She couldn't wait to see him, not only because she missed him in every sense of the word, but because she was still beyond curious about the mysterious book that had called out to her. She had left it on a table in the library so that her and Lucius could go back together and examine it. Hopefully he would hear it too, and it wouldn't just be her.

Within ten minutes, Aria arrived at the Wizarding tavern and stepped inside to go wait by the fireplace where witches and wizards used it to Floo in and out of Oxford in a safe space. Right when she entered, she immediately saw Sebastian and she smiled shyly in his direction as his bright blue eyes immediately saw her as she entered. What was it about today and the two of them constantly running into each other? She supposed Oxford was a small enough town where people often frequented their same haunts.

"Aria!" Sebastian said as he got up from his spot at the bar and made his way over to her as she settled herself near the fireplace. "Did you change your mind after all? Want a drink?" He said hopefully.

"Oh, I can't, I am sorry! I am just stopping here really quick to wait for someone."

"And I was beginning to think you were following me," Seb said with a cocky smirk.

Aria laughed awkwardly not knowing how to respond and began twisting her hair between her fingers as she anxiously awaited Lucius' arrival. Her and Seb talked a bit about the work Aria had accomplished that day. Aria still didn't feel like telling anyone but Lucius about the mysterious book she had found, so she stuck to talking to him about the boring task she had done all day of writing down every single item in that section of the library onto the scrolls. She could tell Seb feigned interest, but he most likely just wanted to be around her. As he continued sipping his beer, Aria wondered how many he had drank up to that point. Was the liquid courage what made him so bold?

"So will you be staying in Oxford tonight then?" Seb asked, that hopeful tone back again as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Aria wasn't sure why Seb kept sounding so hopeful. He knew she was engaged to be married and her deep love for Lucius. She was beginning to get slightly annoyed. While he wasn't at the aggressive level of Paulo, Aria was still beginning to get uncomfortable with how determined Seb was to get some one-on-one time with her. Perhaps he still didn't truly understand how serious it was between her and Lucius; that she would never risk everything that was pure and perfect in her life, just for a one-night fling with this man she just met in Oxford.

"No, I won't be," said Aria definitively.

What happened next was when things took an interesting turn. "Are you sure there is no way I can convince you to stay tonight?" Seb asked, his blue eyes looking so innocent, yet so seductive at the same time. He reached his left hand out and placed it on her lower hip and squeezed a bit, a clear invitation to what his true meaning of his question was.

Aria was in so much shock she froze at his touch. She couldn't believe how bold he was. And while he wasn't being aggressive, his touch upon her really crossed a line and yet she stood paralyzed in place not knowing how to even respond. She was so stunned she didn't even realize that someone had Floo Powdered into the tavern in a flash of green just in that exact moment. The next thing Aria saw was the hard, dense, silver snake head of Lucius' cane coming down hard upon Seb's hand that was resting on Aria's lower hip, the sound of bones crushing and the cringe-inducing sound of Seb screaming and cursing in pain as his glass of beer crashed to the floor as it fell out of his other hand.

Aria stood completely frozen in place still, as she felt as if she was having an out of body experience as she watched her soulmate charge at the younger man in such a rage that she thought Lucius would for sure use an unforgivable curse upon him.

"You DARE lay your hands on my witch?" Lucius bellowed, his voice not even sounding as if it belonged to him.

By now the whole tavern was looking upon the scene in shock and Aria was mortified, and yet she still stood where she was, as she too was in shock. Seb was crouched over, clutching his left hand as he groaned out curse after curse.

"Bloody Hell! I didn't do anything!" Seb yelled back.

"You put your disgusting hands upon what is not yours!" Lucius reminded him, as he stalked forward, his broad, tall form looming over Seb. "It's doubtless she even consented to you putting your hands upon her. Isn't that right Aria?" Lucius looked briefly behind his shoulder at her, his silver eyes sparking dangerously.

Aria's voice failed her, but she confirmed by softly shaking her head back and forth in response. No she hadn't asked nor expected Seb to touch her, especially in such an intimate spot. If truth be told, she was glad Lucius showed up when he did, although it was unfortunate for Seb, as he now had to deal with Lucius' wrath and possessiveness. She knew that Lucius was very protective of her, since the moment they had essentially first met and the incident with Paulo had taken place. If Aria was being honest, she was getting slight flashbacks from the whole fiasco.

"You don't own her!" Seb cried as he interrupted Aria's train of thought as he tried to deflect blame onto the powerful blond wizard who seemed as if he was about to strike at any moment, like a deadly serpent.

"Oh but I do…" Lucius retorted back, his voice dropping deeper even more, "and she owns me. We own each other as true soul mates. She is mine and I am hers, and that doesn't include filth such as yourself."

Seb looked at Lucius and then over to Aria with a painfully embarrassed look, as if his whole ego had just been obliterated in the span of a minute. Lucius continued speaking as he stepped even closer to the deflated younger man, practically in his face now.

"If I ever hear of you or see you coming near my woman again, I will make sure that more than just your hand gets broken…" Lucius warned. Lucius finally got out of Seb's face and stalked towards the main entrance of the tavern, clearly ready to be on his way. When he was at the doors, he said nothing but reached his gloved hand out to Aria, indicating to her that it was time for them to leave.

Aria quickly walked over to Lucius, practically ready to pass out. She passed Seb as she tried to avoid eye contact with him and she heard him whisper in a strained voice under his breath to her, "He's dark Aria…so dark. You could have so much better."

That made Aria stop in her tracks, turn around to narrow her eyes at Seb in wonder that he still had the gall to speak. She looked him up and down and then saw where he clutched his injured hand to his chest.

"You should probably get that checked out…"she said about his hand, her eyes narrowing, as she glared at him one last time for not only insulting Lucius, but also her and her entire relationship and reason for living.

He stared at her in shock with his mouth slightly hanging open, and with one last look of disdain, Aria grabbed Lucius by the hand and said "Let's go Lucius," before exiting the pub with a mix of rage, humiliation, confusion and bewilderment.

Lucius and Aria left the tavern hurriedly and both of them said nothing to each other as they walked rather briskly though the dark and quiet streets of Oxford. Lucius was leading them both, but Aria knew that he actually didn't know which way to go, or which direction the library was in. His mind was still back at the tavern, thinking of what just happened. Aria could tell by the tense line of his shoulders and the way he was holding himself, that his mind was strained.

"Lucius stop," she said shyly and quietly. Lucius did abruptly stop but didn't turn around to face her as he dropped their connected hands. His breathing was rough and hard and she knew he was internally struggling, about to burst at any moment.

"Lucius…my love…I promise you that I didn't know or expect that Sebastian would be so bold as to touch me like that…I promise…" she said as she shuddered at remembrance of the scene in the tavern just moments ago. Sometimes she cursed her beauty and her kind personality, which often attracted and emboldened men to do such things with her.

Lucius slowly turned around, his eyes shut tight, his nostrils flaring as his breathing was labored with rage. His lips were set in a grimaced line, his brows furrowed, and his eyes finally opened and were still sparking as if on fire. "I know Aria…I know…" he said as he slowly. "It's just…I almost killed that man…just as I did with Paulo. It took every ounce of self control in me not to. When it comes to you, I feel like sometimes I lose my mind if any harm comes to you. And I feel very….possessive of you…every day it gets stronger."

Aria reached out to him and put her hands up on his shoulders. "I know Lucius, and that is one of the reasons I love you so much. Your love and protection for me go beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. I know you are possessive of me…but I am of you too. You were right. We do own each other. Body, mind and soul. It's only us."

Lucius closed his eyes again and then opened them slowly once more. "I could have killed him…I could have ruined our lives again, just like that time with Paulo," he admitted.

"But you didn't," Aria said as she squeezed her hands on his shoulders.

"I swear if he even comes near you again…" he warned, his eyes sparking in the light of the moon overhead.

"Lucius he-" Aria began to say but Lucius cut her off.

"Let's not talk about this at the moment. Just take me to what you want to show me…" he said as his face got even more stoic and grimaced. He clearly didn't want to talk about this anymore and wanted to focus on something else to distract his mind.

"Okay, follow me," she said as she slowly removed her hands from his shoulders and grabbed one of his hands as she led him in the direction of the library.

They were soon at the grand entrance of the historical library and Aria looked up at Lucius as she saw him take in the fantastical sight. His sparkling grey eyes took in his surroundings with wonder and he was clearly impressed at the sight of such a grand library. The doors had been locked for the night, but that was nothing a simple Alohomora charm couldn't fix. Aria quietly led them both through the dark aisles of the library until she made it to the secret Wizarding entrance.

"You have to walk straight through the bookcase…it's a little bit odd," she warned him.

"It's no matter," he said as he confidently strode through the bookshelf as if he had done it his whole life. Aria then remembered he was used to that kind of magic, even though she was still getting used to it herself. She followed him through, and into the Wizarding section which seemed even more mysterious and ominous at night.

Lucius was waiting for her patiently, but she saw he had lit his wand with a Lumos spell, as it was rather dark in the Wizarding section. Aria got a chill from being in the dark in such a magically charged place. It almost felt eerie and spooky.

Aria lit her wand with Lumos as well, and led Lucius farther into the library, and up the spiral staircase into the section that was her "domain" for the time being. She saw Lucius look around the room taking in her work with a silent look of approval on his face. She knew Lucius valued hard work, and he didn't even have to use his words to make Aria know and feel he was proud of her.

" _Lumos Maxima,_ " Aria said as she pointed her wand out into the room, causing little balls of light to scatter all around the room, lighting it up to a decent amount, so that Lucius and Aria could see more clearly, and not just from the tiny tips of their wands.

The instant they had settled into the room, Lucius cocked his head a bit to the side and said, "I hear it…the buzzing…I feel it too," he confirmed.

Aria breathed out a huge sigh of relief, that he too felt it.

"Really?!" Aria said excitement.

Lucius nodded his head and looked around the room, trying to find the source, as Aria quickly walked up to the table she had set the tiny book on and touched it. Instantly at her touch the buzzing sound and feeling disappeared. She brought the tiny book over to Lucius and held it out in her palms to him. "Touch it," she whispered to him.

Lucius raised one of his eyebrows in question, that such a tiny book could wield so much magic, but sure enough, as soon as his large hand touched the book, the noise and sensations of the magic stopped thrumming through his body. He let out a short intake of breath and gently opened the book. Now it was Aria's turn to breath out in wonder as she couldn't quite believe her eyes. The last time she had opened this book, the pages had been blank; that was one of the reasons she wanted Lucius' help uncovering what magic it held so she could unearth its content, but it seemed as if his mere presence alone was enough to unveil the book's magic.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed. "Lucius…the last time I opened this book, the pages were all blank!"

"Incredible…" Lucius muttered under his breath as he continued turning the pages as Aria held the book in her hands still, which were now slightly shaking. The text wasn't any language Aria was familiar with, which slightly disappointed her that it would be more of a mystery on what was written. The way the text was set up however, made it seem like it was almost similar to journal entries. "It appears to be an ancient Celtic language…perhaps Gaulish…" Lucius mused.

"How do you know that?" Aria said looking up into his brilliant eyes.

He smirked slightly and said in a proud voice, "I rather excelled in Ancient Runes back at school…and you know my skills with language. It seems to be a mix of runes and an ancient druid-esque language."

Aria smirked back as she looked at Lucius. He was top of his class back when he went to school, and he was one of the smartest people she had ever known. Of course he would immediately know what it was.

"However, I am afraid I can't read it fluently," he said a bit deflated after the admission.

He continued turning the pages and stopped on a few admiring some of the ancient rune symbols and quite a few drawings. One such drawing stood out to him, as it was clearly a stone circle; similar to the ones him and Aria often made love in. He looked up into her green eyes, making sure she saw the drawing too. She did, and her green eyes, watery with emotion, looked back up into his. She was definitely having a revelation.

"Lucius…"She practically whispered. "What if….what if this book is meant for us? Why we can hear it…why when we both touch it, the contents reveal itself to us…" she said in wonder.

Lucius' own eyes widened with the knowledge that Aria was perhaps correct. It truly did remind him so much of the Soul Prophesies book he had found in his own Manor, that prophesied their love and their connection. This was another piece of the puzzle; he was sure of it!

"Aria…I think you are right…" he said as he looked into her emotional green eyes as he temporarily got lost in the connection he always felt with her.

He gently closed the book and took it from her hands and held it in his own now. "Would you mind if I took this book with me back home so that I can study it…and perhaps find a way to be able to read it? I think it can be done, but I need time…" he asked her.

"Of course. I wish I had time to help you, but I have my work here. And if you were to have the book with you at home then it wouldn't be distracting me here by constantly calling out to me with its magic," she said.

With that Lucius put the small book within the deep pockets of his robes and looked back into Aria's eyes. "Will you come home with me tonight? I am beginning to not feel comfortable with the idea of you staying over night in this town…" he said with a grimace, as his mind went back to the events before they came into the library.

"Of course," she said gently as she grabbed his warm hand in hers and began leading them back down the spiral staircase and out of the library.

When they got outside, Lucius looked around briefly at the completely deserted streets around them. The town having a slightly eerie, haunted feeling as the only light source was a few yellow street lamps and the shining moon above. "There is no one around. I shall apparate us out of here," Lucius said with finality.

Aria wouldn't argue with him. He didn't want to go back to the tavern, and quite frankly neither did she. Without saying a word she grabbed him tightly around the waist and buried her face into his chest, which smelled strongly of his divine, spice yet musky scent she loved so much. In a snap he apparated them both safely and smoothly back to the Manor.

* * *

The two went about their business in their night routine, getting ready for bed and unwinding from the long and stressful day. Lucius had kissed her sweetly on the head when they had arrived at the Manor but hadn't said a word since. Aria had left him to his thoughts and went to go take a nice, warm shower. When she came out of the bathroom she saw Lucius was already in bed and she couldn't help but think how incredibly beautiful he looked. He was nude, but his waist was covered by the down comforter so that only his muscled, pale and smooth upper half was revealed. His hands were behind his head, his blond hair splayed all around him and his grey eyes looked up at the ceiling as if he was in deep thought.

She went over to his side of the bed and stood over him. He turned his head to look up at her, his grey eyes taking her in. She slid her silk robe off of her to reveal her nude body to him; his eyes drawing slow lines up and down her body as he admired her. She then straddled him where he lay on the bed and just buried herself into his neck. She wanted to try and reassure him and comfort him. To let him know everything was okay.

"I'm sorry I lost myself tonight…" he said huskily, as his hands traced up and down her nude back, causing her skin to tingle.

"I understand. Truly I do. I am sorry that you had to see that…I was shocked myself…" she said into his neck where her face was buried.

"I just can't stand the sight of anyone touching you in such intimate ways. I was almost sick to my stomach," he admitted. "And then to just lose my sanity and almost…kill him…I could have done so much worse than break his hand…" he sighed as his hands stopped roving over her body. "I could have ruined our lives again…could have been sent to Azkaban…and for real this time!"

"But you stopped yourself Lucius…and that is all that matters! And Sebastian is too cocky to report you to anyone…let alone admit that he overstepped his bounds. He needs to live with his tail between his legs for a bit," Aria said reassuringly. "Lucius, my love, you stopped yourself from going farther. I am so proud and in awe of you. You make me feel so safe and protected. I love you," she said.

Aria could tell Lucius took what she said to heart when she felt his hands begin rubbing her again. "I don't deserve you. Truly…" he said as he kissed the top of her head.

"Never think that," she said as she came up to properly kiss him passionately on the lips.

He kissed her back with equal fervor, tasting her pure sweetness and running his fingers over her nude body which pressed deliciously up against his. His hands drifted lower until he was cupping her perfect bottom and he gave it a quick squeeze or two as he felt himself hardening. Aria felt his excitement growing too and moved her body away from his briefly so that she could remove the comforter off the lower half of his body. His large member was beautifully solid now and she stared at it in reverence, as it truly was magnificent. She got back over him, and immediately sunk herself down upon him. It was the most amazing feeling in the world and it was like coming home every single time.

Lucius grabbed her by the hips as she began moving gently upon him; his silver eyes looking up into her own with the upmost adoration. His eyes scanned hungrily over her body as she made love to him sweetly. Her breasts slightly bouncing every time she came up and down over his hard cock. He rubbed his thumbs over where he gripped her by the hips and smirked up at her, his Queen, causing her to smile back with the smile he adored so much, as it truly was the light of the sun. Her smile then turned into an 'O' shape of bliss as she moaned out her pleasure at the feel of him inside of her and her head fell back, her blond hair cascading like a golden waterfall down her back. She was so gorgeous and Lucius thanked the Gods again that she was his.

As Aria continued making love to him she was surprised that he was letting her be the one in control. Usually on nights he became very protective and angry, he usually let out his frustrations in the bedroom by becoming very dominant, something in which Aria had to admit she greatly enjoyed. But she wanted to make him feel good, so she didn't mind allowing him to lay back and let her take the lead tonight.

The friction she was creating between their conjoined bodies was beginning to build up, and she leaned in a bit closer and laid her hands upon his muscular chest for support and leverage as her hips began moving faster and faster. At this angle where she was slightly leaned over, her breasts were basically right in his face, and he took the opportunity to take her nipples, one at a time, in his mouth and suck and lick them to hard peaks of pleasure as she continued fucking him.

"Yes, my love, that feels so good," she moaned out as his suckling upon her caused her hips to go even faster and she felt her clit rub up against his pelvis with each thrust, which was driving her closer to orgasm.

He too was moaning heavily, causing vibrations to transfer from his mouth onto her nipples with each suck. As he felt her getting closer and closer to release, he quickly bit down on one of her nipples causing her to do a cute little half squeak, half moan of delight, and then soon after he felt her inside walls quake and quiver and then fall over the edge into full on convulsing as she orgasmed all over his cock. He knew after she came she would be spent and exhausted and so as he let her collapse onto his chest after she came, he used the opportunity to take slight control and he began thrusting his own hips up so that his cock pounded into her so quickly, it took no time at all for him to groan out a deep, manly noise of blissful release and come up inside of her.

The two lay breathing heavily, both completely exhausted from the evening's events. Lucius held her around the waist but moved her to the side with his body so that they now lay facing each other, his cock still buried deep inside of her as they began falling into a blissful sleep, completely forgetting everything that had occurred. From the incident in the tavern, to the mystery and revelation of the little book using its magic to call out to them….all that mattered now was the feeling of their conjoined bodies as one and the connection they felt as soulmates.


End file.
